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Useful Tropical Plants

Calophyllum apetalum

Willd.

Calophyllaceae


There has been much disagreement amongst botanists over the correct application of the name Calophyllum calaba. Specimens from three different species have at times been confused and given this name. We have followed the treatment of Stevens[
532
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol 61
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University
Year
1980
ISBN
0004-2625
Description
A treatment of the Asian species of Colophyllum is just one of the articles in this publication. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
], and applied this name to the Sri Lankan species[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
]. This Indian species is treated here as Calophyllum apetalum and the tropical American species as Calophyllum brasiliense[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].

+ Synonyms

Calophyllum calaboides G.Don

Common Name:

No Image.

General Information

Calophyllum apetalum is an evergreen tree growing from 8 - 30 metres tall. The bole, which is unbuttressed, is up to 80cm in diameter[
532
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol 61
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University
Year
1980
ISBN
0004-2625
Description
A treatment of the Asian species of Colophyllum is just one of the articles in this publication. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its edible fruit, the oil from its seed and its timber.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

532
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol 61
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University
Year
1980
ISBN
0004-2625
Description
A treatment of the Asian species of Colophyllum is just one of the articles in this publication. It can be downloaded from the Internet.

Range

E. Asia - southwestern India.

Habitat

Locally abundant in riverine forests at elevations up to 610 metres[
532
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol 61
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University
Year
1980
ISBN
0004-2625
Description
A treatment of the Asian species of Colophyllum is just one of the articles in this publication. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. Usually along streams in low elevation wet evergreen forests up to 900 metres.

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitEvergreen Tree
Height25.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the moist to wet tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 1,735 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 30 - 35°c, but can tolerate 12 - 38°c[
418
Title
Ecocrop
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
]. It can be killed by temperatures of 4°c or lower[
418
Title
Ecocrop
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 3,000 - 6,000mm, but tolerates 1,300 - 8,000mm[
418
Title
Ecocrop
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
].
Grows best in full sun, tolerating light shade[
418
Title
Ecocrop
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
]. Prefers a medium-textured soil of moderate fertility[
418
Title
Ecocrop
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
]. Prefers a pH in the range 5 - 6, tolerating 4.5 - 7[
418
Title
Ecocrop
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
].

Edible Uses

The fruit is edible[
532
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol 61
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University
Year
1980
ISBN
0004-2625
Description
A treatment of the Asian species of Colophyllum is just one of the articles in this publication. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

An oil with a characteristic smell and a bitter taste can be extracted from the seeds; with refinement the bitterness
is lost[
532
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol 61
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University
Year
1980
ISBN
0004-2625
Description
A treatment of the Asian species of Colophyllum is just one of the articles in this publication. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. The oil is composed of the glycerides of stearic, palmitic, oleic, and probably linoleic acids[
532
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol 61
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University
Year
1980
ISBN
0004-2625
Description
A treatment of the Asian species of Colophyllum is just one of the articles in this publication. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. The report does not say id the oil is edible[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

An oil with a characteristic smell and a bitter taste can be extracted from the seeds; with refinement the bitterness
is lost[
532
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol 61
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University
Year
1980
ISBN
0004-2625
Description
A treatment of the Asian species of Colophyllum is just one of the articles in this publication. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. The oil is composed of the glycerides of stearic, palmitic, oleic, and probably linoleic acids[
532
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol 61
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University
Year
1980
ISBN
0004-2625
Description
A treatment of the Asian species of Colophyllum is just one of the articles in this publication. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. It is used for burning in India[
371
Title
Oil Yielding Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mnes.nic.in/list/oil-plants.pdf
Publisher
Botanical Survey of India.
Year
2004
ISBN
 
Description
A PDF downloaded from the Internet. Very terse details about the applications of oil obtained from over 300 species of plants.
].

The wood is strong. It is used both in the construction of boats and oil mills and in general building[
532
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum Vol 61
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University
Year
1980
ISBN
0004-2625
Description
A treatment of the Asian species of Colophyllum is just one of the articles in this publication. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-29. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Calophyllum+apetalum>

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