PAfi/3.3.40 
Common Poisonous Plants in Singapore 
by 
Chang Kiaw Lan 
Curator, Botanic Gardens, Parks & Recreation Department. 
Summary 
/ 
This t'alk iB not strictly limited to oommon poisonous plants 
but includes a few forest and cultivated fruit trees. Most of them are 
ornamental shrubs or climbers. The talk is illustrated with oolour 
slides and fresh plant specimens are on display for your observation 
after the lecture. 
The kinds of injury mentioned inolude those that cause harm 
on oontaot on aooount of fine bristles or hairs, those that oause 
irritation of the skin on aocount of the latex or sap (volatile or not) 
and others that cause injury through ingostion. I have excluded the 
plants whioh on aooount of thorns or prickles are obvious and are a 
nuisanoe be oause they cause only mechanical injury to the human skin. 
The information has been gathered from publications and by 
personal enquiries. 
TABLE OP PLANTS AND TYPES OP INJURY 
ANA CARD I A CEAE (Mango Family) 
Several Mangifera gp. 
Poisonous bark, and young skin of young 
edible fruit affeot some persons. 
Mangif ora oaeoia (Binjai 
Tree ) 
Pruits edible, used as tamarind, As 
well as a fruit drink. The tree has 
very poisonous sap, the vapour of fresh 
tissues, the smoke of bonfires of leaves 
and raindrops from crown may affeot skin. 
In Botanic Gardens and planted in 
orchards. Tree outters loath to out 
the tree. 
Anaoardium oooidentale 
(Cashew nut tree , Ga.jua ) 
Most par to contain irritant sap. 
Roasting of nut expels poison in ooat 
of the nut and in the nut. Young 
loaves and fleshy pedioel edible in 
raw stato. Raw nuts sear the lips. 
Renghas group 
Sap of bark and leaves turn from white 
to blaok. Intensity of diaoomfort 
varies with individuals. Contact with 
sap oause red rash and possible sores. 
