Common Name: Almondette

General Information

Buchanania cochinchinensis is an evergreen or shortly deciduous tree with a straight trunk; it can grow up to 18 metres tall[, , , ].
The tree is extensively harvested from the wild, and also cultivated for its edible seed, especially in India[]. It is commonly sold in local markets and has occasionally been exported[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - southern China, Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia.

Habitat

In open and dry forests on poor soils[]. Lowland forests in southern China at elevations of 100 - 900 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	12.00 m
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of mainly drier areas in the tropics and subtropics, where it is found at elevations up to 1,200 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 32 - 42°c, but can tolerate 5 - 48°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,000 - 1,500mm, but tolerates 750 - 2,200mm[].
Grows well in full sun but can also tolerate considerable shade, especially when small[]. Succeeds in most soils, including dry soils[, ]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 6, tolerating 4.9 - 7.2[].

Edible Uses

Seed - raw or cooked[, , ]. An excellent flavour, somewhat reminiscent of almonds or pistachios[, ]. Eaten as a dessert seed and also used in sweetmeats[, ]. In some parts of India the dried fruit and seed are baked together to make a sort of bread[]. The seed contains about 50% oil[]. The seed is fairly small, about 7mm long[]. The fruit hangs on the tree for quite a long while after it has ripened[].

Fruit - a pleasant, sweetish, subacid flavour[, ]. Eaten fresh, or dried for later use[]. The fruit is 15mm long[].

An oil is obtained from the seed[, ]. Light yellow with a sweet flavour and pleasant aroma, it can be used as a substitute for almond or olive oil[, ].

Medicinal

The gum from the tree is used against leprosy in traditional medicine[]. Mixed with goat's milk, it is used in the treatment of intercostal pains and diarrhoea[]..

The roots are acrid, astringent, cooling, depurative and constipating. They are useful in the treatment of diarrhoea[].

The leaves are used in the treatment of diarrhoea[].
Applied topically, they are used to treat skin diseases[].

The fruits are used in treating coughs and asthma[].

The seeds are made into an ointment and applied topically to treat skin diseases. It is believed to cure pimples, prickly heat and itch[]..

The oil extracted from the kernels of the fruit is used as a subtitute for almond oil and applied on glandular swellings of the neck[].

Agroforestry Uses:

A good species for afforesting bare hill slopes[].

Other Uses

The bark is used in tanning[, ].

The tree yields a gum copiously in large, irregular pieces[]. It is only partially soluble in water (about 10% insoluble), but it gives a good mucilage and can be useful in cheap manufacturing processes[]. The gum has adhesive properties[].

An oil is obtained from the seed[].

The greyish-brown wood has a small, dark-coloured heartwood[]. It is moderately hard[]. Of poor quality according to some reports that say it is only used as firewood and for making charcoal[, ]. Other reports say that it can be used for making boxes, bedsteads, bullock yokes, doors, window-frames, tables and the like[]. The wood will stain clothes unless it is polished[].

Propagation

Seed -

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