This striking tropical tree is Pengua, Macaranga mappa. It belongs to the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, along with cassava, poinsettia, Croton and Chenille Plant. It is native to northern Sulawesi and the Maluku Islands of Indonesia, where it grows primarily in wet tropical forest.

Pengua usually grows as a small to medium-sized tree with a light, open crown. Like many Macaranga species, it can grow fairly quickly and may be among the first trees to establish in sunny openings or disturbed forest.

Its most memorable feature is the foliage. The leaves are very large, broad and almost circular, often with a shallow point at the tip. Their size gives the tree a bold, tropical appearance.

The leaf stalk joins the blade well inside its outer edge rather than at the base. This arrangement is called peltate and resembles the way a handle attaches near the center of an umbrella.

Strong veins radiate outward from that central attachment point. When sunlight shines through the leaf, the pattern becomes especially clear and may resemble the framework of a parasol.

The undersides of the leaves are usually paler than the upper surfaces. New growth may emerge in softer shades of green or bronze before becoming darker as it matures.

The flowers are small and lack the large, colorful petals we normally associate with ornamental trees. Male and female flowers are generally produced separately, either on different parts of a plant or on separate trees, depending on the species and individual.

After pollination, the female flowers develop into small, rounded capsules. These fruits may be divided into several sections and can have a rough or slightly spiny surface.

As the capsules mature, they dry and split open, releasing the seeds. Birds and other animals may assist with dispersal, while some seeds may simply fall beneath the parent tree.

Members of the genus Macaranga are often important pioneer plants. They can colonize forest gaps, roadsides and other disturbed places, producing shade and organic matter that help create conditions in which slower-growing forest species can later become established.

Some Macaranga species also have close relationships with ants, providing shelter or food in exchange for protection from leaf-eating insects. That relationship is especially well developed in certain species, although it should not automatically be assumed for every Pengua tree.

The wood of Macaranga trees is generally light and has been used locally for temporary construction, boxes, light framing and other purposes where great strength is not required.

Pengua is therefore a tree whose main attraction lies in its leaves rather than its flowers. Those enormous, centrally supported blades create a dramatic canopy and make the tree easy to recognize from a considerable distance.

When presenting it to a group, the best feature to point out is where the leaf stalk meets the blade. That unusual umbrella-like attachment explains much of the leaf’s distinctive shape and structure.