假嘢唔假 Fake Sterculia？
<Please scroll down for English version>
七夕剛過，不得不提民間用來拜祭及食用的傳統果品-蘋婆種子。但大自然也不乏『造假』大師，另一種與蘋婆的紅色果實相似，而且果期相近的植物，名為『假蘋婆』，其種子也可作為蘋婆的替代品。雖然是『A貨』，但假蘋婆卻是香港常見的原生植物，比起屬外來種的蘋婆，『假』的稱號似乎顯得有點不公道。在7、8月遊覽後山，不難發現假蘋婆樹掛滿青綠至通紅的爪狀果實。
仔細觀察，發現假蘋婆的果實上經常有一種小昆蟲在流連，牠們就是紅蝽。紅蝽利用針狀的口器刺進果實，吸食汁液。至於為何假蘋婆深受這種紅蝽喜歡，就不得而知。
另外，『蘋婆』讀『頻婆』，也有一說是源自梵文"Bimba"，在佛教中譽為『吉祥果』。
植物界的『A貨』有不少，你能講出幾個嗎？
<簡易分辨>
蘋婆：種子似栗子；花似小燈籠
假蘋婆：種子似荔枝核；花是粉紅色五星形
Reference
Seeds of the Common Sterculia have been used as the traditional offering at the Begging Festival. There is a common native plant named “Lance-leaved Sterculia”, which has the similar appearance to Common Sterculia’s fruit. Both fruit periods are closed. Thus, we call Lance-leaved Sterculia as an imitation of Common Sterculia in Cantonese. The fruits of Lance-leaved Sterculia are also known as the substitute offering. If you want to meet these scarlet fruits, just come and hike in the Backyard in summer.
If you look at the fruit of Common Sterculia carefully, you will find some little guys wandering. The red stink bugs suck juice from the fruit with their needle-like mouths. But the reason why Sterculia’s fruits become so attractive to these stink bugs is still not certain.
In addition, some believe that the Chinese name of Common Sterculia origins from Sanskrit “Bimba”. And the fruit of Common Sterculia has been acclaimed as “the Lucky Fruit” in Buddhism.
Mimicry and similarity is common in the nature. Can you tell any?
<Easy way to distinguish two species>
Common Sterculia: Seeds look like chestnuts; lantern-like flowers
Lance-leaved Sterculia: Seeds are like Lychee’s; light red star-shaped flowers