Common Name: Kuwini

General Information

Kuwini is a medium-sized tree with a globose crown of relatively light foliage; it usually grows from 10 - 15 metres tall and rarely exceeds 20 metres, though specimens up to 30 metres have been recorded. The bole is straight and cylindrical[, ].
A popular fruit, having local economic significance in areas where the mango (Mangifera indica) cannot be grown satisfactorily because the climate is too wet[]. The tree is commonly cultivated for its fruit in Borneo, Sumatra and Java, where it is mainly grown mixed with other tree species in home gardens and village orchards[]. The tree is also occasionally cultivated in southern Vietnam, and on Christmas and Guam Islands[].
This species has never been found in the wild and its origin remains a mystery. The plant is classified as 'Data Deficient' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

The tree contains an irritant sap[, ].

Botanical References

, ,

Range

E. Asia - Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia.

Habitat

Not known in the wild, possibly a hybrid M. foetida x M. indica[, ].

Properties

Conservation Status	Data Deficient
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	15.00 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Cultivated

Cultivation Details

A tree of lowland tropical areas, thriving at elevations below 1,000 metres[]. It is found most often in areas with a fairly heavy rainfall that is equally distributed throughout the year, although it also grows in areas with a moderate rainfall provided there are no prolonged dry periods[], and in monsoon climates[, ]. It is known to succeed in areas where the mean annual rainfall can range from 1,200 - 3,267mm, the annual minimum temperature is 18 - 24°c, the maximum annual temperature is 21 - 33°c and annual mean temperature 25 - 28°c[].
Tolerant of a variety of soil conditions[].
Seedling plants usually take 6 - 9 years before producing fruit[].
The tree can produce two crops a year in areas where two dry seasons prevail[].
This species possibly represents hybrid forms between M. indica and M. foetida[].
A polymorphic species, several forms are distinguished: -
'Bembem' is an inferior form. The fruit has a strong smell and taste of turpentine reminiscent of the fruit of M. foetida, the leaves are coriaceous[].
'Kaweni' has less fibrous flesh and a mild taste of turpentine. The best forms are very palatable[].
'Gandarassa', of the Banten area in West Java, is a rare and poorly known form which is said to be superior to 'kaweni', less sweet but more juicy and with a less strong smell[].
'Sangay' is distinguished by its yellow colour at maturity from the greenish 'Huani' fruit[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[]. The orange-yellow flesh is firm, fibrous, sourish-sweet, juicy, with a pungent smell and taste of turpentine in some forms[]. The best forms are much appreciated as table fruit[]. They must be peeled thickly because of the presence of an acrid juice in the skin, which can also be reduced by steeping in diluted lime-water before eating[]. The fruits are also used for making chutney and for pickles with salt[].
The fruit is a green to yellowish-green, obliquely ellipsoid-oblong, hardly flattened drupe, 10 - 13cm long and 6 - 9cm wide, sparingly spotted with dark brown lenticels and enclosing a single large seed[, ].

A kind of flour is made of the seed kernels and used in the preparation of delicacies such as 'dodol' (based on glutinous rice) and 'jenang pelok' (a thick pappy preparation from Curcuma rhizomes)[].

Medicinal

In folk medicine, the bark is recommended for external application in hystero-epilepsy, in the form of a compound like a cosmetic mixture[].

Agroforestry Uses:

A good canopy tree in permaculture gardens, where it is traditionally grown with vegetables or bananas beneath it[].

Other Uses

The wood is used locally as machang, but is reportedly of poor quality[].
The wood is a source of 'machang' timber[]. We do not have a specific description for the wood of this speices, but a general description of machang timber is as follows:-
The heartwood is light brown or light grey brown, occasionally with chocolate or black streaky coreword; it is not clearly differentiated from the wide band of sapwood. The texture is moderately coarse to coarse and even; the grain interlocked and wavy. The wood is moderately heavy to heavy; moderately hard; not durable under exposed conditions, being susceptible to fungi, dry wood borers and termites. The wood seasons somewhat rapidly with only a slight risk of checking or distortion; once dry it is moderately stable in service. It can be worked with ordinary tools, there is a slight difficulty resawing when green, but is easy when dry; planing is easy but the surface produced is moderately smooth with grain pick-up on the radial side; nailing and screwing is excellent; gluing is correct. The wood is suitable for light construction, turnery, flooring, interior panelling, boxes, crates, pallets and plywood manufacture[]. Corewood can be used for decorative veneer production[, ].

Propagation

Seed - frequently polyembryonic[].

Add a Comment:

If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.

Name:

Email(Private):

Message:

Captcha: 10 times itself is?