Common Name:

General Information

Heritiera fomes is an evergreen tree that can grow up to 25 metres tall. The bole can be 60cm or more in diameter, though larger boles are often faulty. Buttresses are present. The tree produces pneumatophores (breathing roots) up to 30cm high[, ].
The tree is commonly harvested from the wild for local use of its wood. It is a valuable commercial species that is grown in plantations for its wood[].
This species has a restricted distribution in South Asia and is found in the landward margin of mangroves - which is the area most threatened by coastal development. It can be locally common, but there has been an estimated population decline of 50% to 80% in the majority of its range (Malaysia) since the 1950s, primarily due to the clearing of mangroves for rice farming, shrimp aquaculture and coastal development. The plant is classified as 'Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013). However, populations in India and Bangladesh are rapidly declining and may qualify for Critically Endangered at a regional level[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia.

Habitat

Mangrove forests in the upstream estuarine zone of the high intertidal region, preferring freshwater[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Endangered
Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	0.00 m
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Plants can be fast-growing in low-saline environments[].

Edible Uses

Seed - rich in starch, it is eaten in times of food shortage[]. The seed contains tannins and is very astringent unless these are first removed by leeching the seeds in cold water[].
Two common methods around the world for removing tannins are:-
A quick method of removing them is to cook the seeds in several changes of water until the cook water is either free of bitterness, or the bitterness has been reduced to acceptable levels.
A more traditional, and slower, method is to leach the tannins by thoroughly washing the seed in running water, though many minerals will also be lost. Either the whole seed can be used, or the seed can be dried and ground it into a powder. It can take several days or even weeks to properly leach whole seeds, one method was to wrap them in a cloth bag and place them in a stream. Leaching the powder is quicker. A simple taste test can tell when the tannins have been leached sufficiently.

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

Tannins are obtained from the bark and seed[].

The heartwood is brownish to dark red, sometimes faintly streaked with black; the sapwood is a pale reddish-brown. The texture is fine; the grain close and even, and somewhat interlocked; there is no characteristic odour or taste. The wood is very hard, heavy, elastic and durable. It is used for construction[, ].
The wood is a good source of fuel, and makes a good quality charcoal[, ].

Propagation

Seed -

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