Barringtonia asiatica (L.) Kurz

Lecythidaceae

Kurz, W.S. (1875) Preliminary Report on the Forest and Other Vegetation of Pegu : .

Asian Barringtonia; Beach Barringtonia; Mango Bark; Mango Pine; Pine, Mango; Barringtonia

Usually a short-boled poorly formed tree with a coarsely flaky bark. Fine ray pattern usually visible in the inner blaze.

Leaf blade rather large, about 14-42 x 7-17 cm. Petiole very short or absent.

Flowers pedicellate. Calyx completely fused in the bud and opening usually by rupturing into two unequal segments. Petals about 5.5-8.5 cm long.

Fruits very large, about 8.5-11 x 8.5-10 cm, more or less square in transverse section. The remains of the fruit normally present beneath mature trees.

Seed contained in large persistent fibrous fruit. Roots grow from the opposite end of the seed to the leafy shoot. At the tenth leaf stage: leaves obovate, apex apiculate or acute, shortly mucronate. Seed germination time 70 to 178 days.

Occurs in NT, CYP, NEQ and CEQ. Altitudinal range from sea level to 100 m. Grows on beaches or in close proximity to the sea. Also occurs in Madagascar, India, Malesia and the Pacific islands.

The large fruits of this species float and are often see along the high tide mark of beaches.

Used as a fish poison. (http://squid2.laughingsquid.net/hosts/herbweb.com /herbage/A3365.htm)

Leaf material of this species was active against some tumors. Collins et al. (1990).

Agasta asiatica (L.) Miers, Transactions of the Linnean Society of London, Botany ser. 2, 1 : 61(1875). Mammea asiatica L., Species Plantarum 1: 512(1753), Type: Prinsen Island, West Java, Osbeck s. n. ; holo: LINN; iso: S. Fide J. Payens, Blumea 15:186 (1968). Barringtonia speciosa J.R.Forst. & G.Forst., Characteres Generum Plantarum : 76(1775), Type: Tahiti, Forster s. n.; holo: BM. Fide J. Payens, Blumea 15: 186.