Common Name: Tahiti Chestnut

General Information

Inocarpus fagifer is an evergreen tree with a dense canopy, usually growing up to 20 metres tall, though it can reach heights of 30 metres or more. The distinctive bole is short, thick, irregular, and very fluted, it can range in diameter from 7 - 90cm, with 30cm being fairly typical[, ]. The tree has a shallow taproot and well formed network of lateral roots that are most prevalent in the topsoil layer. At the base of the trunk are 3 - 4 thin buttresses that extend up the trunk up to a height of about 1 metre and reach laterally, snake-like, for a long distance. Sometimes lateral roots extending from the buttresses are exposed on the soil surface (not buried in the soil); this could well be due to
soil erosion[].
This species is more or less a staple food for the inhabitants of some South Sea Islands, where it can grow abundantly[, ]. It is cultivated in some areas for its edible seed and is also sold (often as a cooked product) in local markets[, ].The seed is said to have significant commercial potential[]. An attractive evergreen tree, it also has potential for use in urban centers for beautification while also providing shade and shelter[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - Malaysia to Australia and the southwest Pacific.

Habitat

Common in coastal forests, margins of swampy places, along rivers, and even in dry forest[]. Lowland secondary forest, stream banks, swamps and marshes, mangrove areas, and coconut plantations at elevations from sea level to 500 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	20.00 m
Growth Rate	Medium
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of hot, humid, tropical lowlands at elevations below 500 metres[]. It is found in areas where the mean annual rainfall ranges from 1,500 - 4,300mm and there is only a small or no dry season[]. The mean annual temperature is around 27°c, with the hottest month ranging from 29.4 - 34.5°c and the coolest month 20 - 23°c[].
Plants are fairly shade tolerant, although heavy shade can reduce yields of seeds[]. The plant succeeds in a wide range of soils that include highly calcareous and saline soils and poorly drained seasonal to permanently waterlogged valleys, swamps, and marshes. It occurs in soils with medium to very low fertility rating. It can grow in mildly acidic to very alkaline coastal soils with a pH up to 14[]. It has medium to high tolerance of steady and strong winds and is windfirm due to a strong lateral root system including buttresses[].
The plant has a moderate to fast rate of growth, with annual increases in height when young of up to 2 metres per year[].
Trees can commence flowering when around 3 - 5 years old[].
Yields of up to 75 kilos of fruits per tree per annum can be obtained from trees 25 or more years old[].
Trees can live for 80 - 90 years[].
The tree responds well to coppicing[].
Although many species within the family Fabaceae have a symbiotic relationship with soil bacteria, this species is said to be devoid of such a relationship and therefore does not fix atmospheric nitrogen[].

Edible Uses

Seed - raw or cooked[]. Boiled before they are quite ripe, they resemble chestnuts in flavour and are very nutritious[, ]. They can be boiled or baked[]. The grated seeds are used for making flat cakes, breads and puddings[]. The seeds are sometimes partially fermented in underground pits and can then be preserved as a reserve food supply[]. Although quite palatable, the seeds are reputed to be somewhat indigestible even when cooked[].
The kernels (seeds) are large, each weighing 5 - 50 g, and measuring 20 - 70mm in length by 16 - 40mm in width[]. The kernel is edible when cooked but is highly perishable and has a short shelf life. It rapidly changes colour from white to reddish brown after being extracted from the shell[].

Medicinal

The tahiti chestnut is often used in traditional medicine, where it has a range of applications[].

The bark is used to treat sickness relapses[]. An infusion of the bark is used to treat burns; diarrhoea and teething problems in infants[]. A decoction of the bark is used in treating scabies[]. Extracts from heated bark scrapings are used in a treatment for pneumonia[].
The dried inner bark mixed with coconut oil is applied to bone fractures[].

The root is used to treat stomach-ache[].

Liquid from the stems is used to treat pain in the bones[].

Weakness after childbirth and fish poisoning are treated with the fluid from the leaves[]. The juice squeezed from fresh leaves is mixed with water and drunk daily in order to bring down a high malarial fever[].

The plant is also said to stop internal bleeding[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree has a good network of lateral roots including three or four structured buttresses at the base of the trunk; it is used to stabilize soils, especially near the coast and along the banks of rivers[].
A good medium-height tree for windbreaks because it tolerates strong winds and resists breakage[].
The tree can be used to provide shade for plantation crops[]. It has a dense canopy, which makes it unsuitable for close planting between light-demanding agricultural crops such as sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas), taro (Colocasia esculenta), sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum), and corn (Zea mays). However, it is suitable as a boundary tree to provide shade and shelter for more shade-tolerant crops. Some types are compatible with other trees such as vi (Spondias cyathera), canarium nut (Canariumspp.), and breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis).It also grows together well with cutnut (Barringtoniaspp.),sago palm (Metroxylon salomonense), betel nut palm (Areca catechu),and coconut (Cocos nucifera)[].

Other Uses

The wood is fairly durable, but may be more susceptible to termites as sawn timber[]. It is used for crafts, tool handles, canoes, and light construction[].
Fallen branches are used for fuel[].

Propagation

Seed - it does not tolerate dessication and has a very short viability of a few weeks. The seeds are large and can be sown directly into their permanent positions or into deep, individdual containers. Young plants require shade from strong sun. Germination can take place within 7 days, with almost 100% of the seeds sprouting. Nursery sown seeds can be transplanted to their permanent positions about 2 months after germinating, when about 20 - 30cm tall[].
Single-node cuttings, taken from stems of the current year's growth, can root within 14 days, with almost 100% success rate[].

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