Common Name:

General Information

Callerya eriantha is a climbing shrub producing woody stems that clamber into other plants for support. The plant can grow 12 - 25 metres tall with stems around 8cm in diameter[].
The edible fruit is sometimes gathered from the wild for local use.

Known Hazards

Millettia and related species in general contain a range of toxic substances, especially isoflavones. Rotenone is probably the best known of these isoflavones and it is found especially in the seeds and roots of the plants. Rotenone is often used locally as a fish poison - the rotenone kills or stuns the fish making them easy to catch, but the fish remain perfectly safe for warm-blooded creatures to eat. Rotenone is classified by the World Health Organization as moderately hazardous. It is mildly toxic to humans and other mammals, but extremely toxic to many insects (hence its use as an insecticide) and also to aquatic life, including fish. This higher toxicity in fish and insects is because the lipophilic rotenone is easily taken up through the gills or trachea, but not as easily through the skin or the gastrointestinal tract. The lowest lethal dose for a child is 143 mg/kg, but human deaths from rotenone poisoning are rare because its irritating action causes vomiting. Deliberate ingestion of rotenone, however, can be fatal.
The compound decomposes when exposed to sunlight and usually has an activity of six days in the environment.
Millettia species often also contain other potentially toxic compounds, especially saponins and alkaloids[].

Botanical References

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Range

Southeast Asia - Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia.

Habitat

Lowland forests[, ]. Mixed Dipterocarp rainforest or wooded cliffs; at elevations up to 600 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Climber
Height	18.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

The plant is often found in the wild on yellow sandy soils[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - cooked[]. Eaten as a vegetable[]. Very acid[].
Seeds - cooked[]. Boiled and eaten as a vegetable[].
The above reports probably all refer to the same thing. Whether it is the seeds themselves, or the seedpods with the seeds, I am not certain[].
The ovate to obovate, inflated seedpods are around 6 - 9cm long x 4 - 5cm wide, with a velvety hairy exterior[]. They contain one, rarely two seeds fused together, each around 45mm x 35mm x 20mm thick[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Pre-soak the seed for 12 hours in warm water and sow in a container in a lightly shaded position. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on until large enough to plant out.
Layering in spring.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood with the leaves removed[].

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