Barringtonia edulis
Seem.
Lecythidaceae
Butonica edulis (Seem.) Miers
Huttum edule (Seem.) Britten
Common Name:
General Information
Barringtonia edulis is an evergreen tree that can grow up to 15 metres tall. The bole can be 30 - 40cm in diameter[
658- Title
- Food Plants of Papua New Guinea
- Publication
-
- Author
- French. B.R.
- Publisher
- Author.
- Year
- 2006
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Published on-line in PDF format, this book contains information on several hundred New Guinea food plants.
].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of wood. The edible seeds are sold in local markets and are considered to have a significant commercial potential to a wider market[
1817- Title
- South Pacific Indigenous Nuts. ACIAR Proceedings No 69
- Publication
-
- Author
- Stevens M.L.; Bourke R.M. & Evans B.R.
- Publisher
- Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research; Canbe
- Year
- 1996
- ISBN
- 1 86320 175 0
- Description
- Proceedings of a workshop held from 31 October to 4 November 1994 at Le Lagon Resort, Port Vila, Vanuatu.
]. The tree is sometimes cultivated in home gardens and around villages, and is generally allowed to remain and is semi-cultivated when forest is cleared[
310- Title
- Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://proseanet.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
,
339- Title
- Agroforestry in the Pacific Islands: Systems for Sustainability
- Publication
-
- Author
- W.C. Clarke and R.R. Thaman (Editors)
- Website
- http://www.unu.edu/unupress/unupbooks/80824e/80824E00.htm#Contents
- Publisher
- United Nations University Press, Tokyo
- Year
- 1993
- ISBN
- 92-808-0824-9
- Description
- The guide includes information on 100 species of plants for Agroforestry. It is also available on the web at the address given above.
,
490- Title
- Flora Vitiensis Nova
- Publication
-
- Author
- Smith. A.C.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden; Hawaii
- Year
- 1979
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A comprehensive flora of Fiji, often showing plant uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
490- Title
- Flora Vitiensis Nova
- Publication
-
- Author
- Smith. A.C.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden; Hawaii
- Year
- 1979
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A comprehensive flora of Fiji, often showing plant uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
Range
Southwestern Pacific - Fiji, Vanuatu.
Habitat
Dense and open forests, woodland and grassland, at elevations up to 400 metres[
490- Title
- Flora Vitiensis Nova
- Publication
-
- Author
- Smith. A.C.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden; Hawaii
- Year
- 1979
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A comprehensive flora of Fiji, often showing plant uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
,
658- Title
- Food Plants of Papua New Guinea
- Publication
-
- Author
- French. B.R.
- Publisher
- Author.
- Year
- 2006
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Published on-line in PDF format, this book contains information on several hundred New Guinea food plants.
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 10.00 m |
| Pollinators | Moths, Bats |
| Cultivation Status | Cultivated, Semi-cultivated, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Succeeds in full sun and in partial shade.
Edible Uses
Seed - raw or cooked[
324- Title
- Edible Nuts.
- Publication
- Non-Wood Forest Products, Handbook 5
- Author
- Wickens G.E.
- Website
- http://www.fao.org/docrep/
- Publisher
- FAO, Rome.
- Year
- 1995
- ISBN
- 92-5-103748-5
- Description
- Detailed information on 20 of the most valuable nut crops, plus more basic information on a wide range of other nut-producing plants. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
,
490- Title
- Flora Vitiensis Nova
- Publication
-
- Author
- Smith. A.C.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden; Hawaii
- Year
- 1979
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A comprehensive flora of Fiji, often showing plant uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
,
658- Title
- Food Plants of Papua New Guinea
- Publication
-
- Author
- French. B.R.
- Publisher
- Author.
- Year
- 2006
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Published on-line in PDF format, this book contains information on several hundred New Guinea food plants.
]. A flavour like raw peanuts[
324- Title
- Edible Nuts.
- Publication
- Non-Wood Forest Products, Handbook 5
- Author
- Wickens G.E.
- Website
- http://www.fao.org/docrep/
- Publisher
- FAO, Rome.
- Year
- 1995
- ISBN
- 92-5-103748-5
- Description
- Detailed information on 20 of the most valuable nut crops, plus more basic information on a wide range of other nut-producing plants. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. The seed kernel inside the hard shell can be 3cm by 1cm in size[
658- Title
- Food Plants of Papua New Guinea
- Publication
-
- Author
- French. B.R.
- Publisher
- Author.
- Year
- 2006
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Published on-line in PDF format, this book contains information on several hundred New Guinea food plants.
].
Fruit - raw or cooked[
324- Title
- Edible Nuts.
- Publication
- Non-Wood Forest Products, Handbook 5
- Author
- Wickens G.E.
- Website
- http://www.fao.org/docrep/
- Publisher
- FAO, Rome.
- Year
- 1995
- ISBN
- 92-5-103748-5
- Description
- Detailed information on 20 of the most valuable nut crops, plus more basic information on a wide range of other nut-producing plants. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. Insipid[
324- Title
- Edible Nuts.
- Publication
- Non-Wood Forest Products, Handbook 5
- Author
- Wickens G.E.
- Website
- http://www.fao.org/docrep/
- Publisher
- FAO, Rome.
- Year
- 1995
- ISBN
- 92-5-103748-5
- Description
- Detailed information on 20 of the most valuable nut crops, plus more basic information on a wide range of other nut-producing plants. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Medicinal
The bark is used in the treatment of stomach ailments and gonorrhoea[
339- Title
- Agroforestry in the Pacific Islands: Systems for Sustainability
- Publication
-
- Author
- W.C. Clarke and R.R. Thaman (Editors)
- Website
- http://www.unu.edu/unupress/unupbooks/80824e/80824E00.htm#Contents
- Publisher
- United Nations University Press, Tokyo
- Year
- 1993
- ISBN
- 92-808-0824-9
- Description
- The guide includes information on 100 species of plants for Agroforestry. It is also available on the web at the address given above.
]. A strong tea made from the bark is claimed to induce abortion and definitive sterility[
389- Title
- Journal of Ethnopharmacology. Vol. 37, pp179 - 196
- Publication
-
- Author
- Bourdy. G. & Walter. A.
- Publisher
- Elsevier Scientific Publishers; Ireland.
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Information on various herbs used to facilitate childbirth in Vanuatu. Available to download as a PDF document from the Internet.
].
Other Uses
The wood is light in weight. It is used for canoe paddles, casing, light construction[
339- Title
- Agroforestry in the Pacific Islands: Systems for Sustainability
- Publication
-
- Author
- W.C. Clarke and R.R. Thaman (Editors)
- Website
- http://www.unu.edu/unupress/unupbooks/80824e/80824E00.htm#Contents
- Publisher
- United Nations University Press, Tokyo
- Year
- 1993
- ISBN
- 92-808-0824-9
- Description
- The guide includes information on 100 species of plants for Agroforestry. It is also available on the web at the address given above.
].
The wood is used as a quick-burning firewood[
339- Title
- Agroforestry in the Pacific Islands: Systems for Sustainability
- Publication
-
- Author
- W.C. Clarke and R.R. Thaman (Editors)
- Website
- http://www.unu.edu/unupress/unupbooks/80824e/80824E00.htm#Contents
- Publisher
- United Nations University Press, Tokyo
- Year
- 1993
- ISBN
- 92-808-0824-9
- Description
- The guide includes information on 100 species of plants for Agroforestry. It is also available on the web at the address given above.
].
Propagation
Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe.
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
