'Dr Adam Staley Groves — My Tembusu Story' by Ong Kah Jing

January 17, 2018

My Tembusu Story is an ongoing series that sheds light on the paths that fellows of Tembusu College took that led them to be part of this community.

 

 

 

The Tembusu (Fagraea fragrans) is a large evergreen tree in the family Gentianaceae. It is native to Southeast Asia. Its trunk is dark brown, with deeply fissured bark, looking somewhat like a bittergourd. It grows in an irregular shape from 10 to 25m high. Its leaves are light green and oval in shape. Its yellowish flowers have a distinct fragrance and the fruits of the tree are bitter tasting red berries, which are eaten by birds and fruit bats.