Adoa, Gatoga
Canarium solomonense
Family: Burseraceae
What it is like
A large tree up to 30 m high with buttresses at the base. The buttresses are branched. The bark is smooth grey and peels off in thin flakes. The small branches are round in cross section and less than 1 cm across. The wood and bark have a mild pineapple-like smell. The leaves can be 18 to 30 cm long made up of several leaflets but often without a leaflet at the end. The leaf like part (stipule) near the base of the leaf is about 1 cm from where the leaf stalk joins. It is small, ear-shaped and without the toothed edge like in Canarium indicum. The flowers occur on the ends of branches. The male flower clusters have more branches, more flowers and are larger (20-30 cm long) while the female flower clusters are slender, with fewer flowers and are smaller (8-20 cm long). The flowers have short soft hairs but become hairless at maturity. The male flowers are smaller (0.4-0.5 cm long) than the female (0.9-1 cm long). The flowers are pale yellow or light green. The fruit is 3-4 cm long and 1-2 cm across, slightly flattened and purplish black. Normally only one cell of the seed is developed. There are a range of varieties which differ in size, flavour and ease of opening.
There are 80-95 Canarium species.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It occurs in North Solomons Province of Papua New Guinea and in the Solomon Islands from sea level up to 500 m or more. It grows in the rainforest and is cultivated near villages.
Countries/locations it is found in
Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu
How it is used for food
The seeds or nuts are eaten (The resin is used for making torches.)
A minor edible nut. It is sometimes cultivated for its nuts.
Edible parts
Nuts, seeds
How it is grown
It grows wild and is cultivated. Plants are grown from seeds.
The nuts have a hard shell and are opened by striking on the side.
Its other names
Local names
Adoa, Afisu, Andoa, Arakao, Gatoga, Khajogha, Maria, Nemba, Solu, Tovinia