Batwood tree, Corkwood tree, Fao, Twin apple
Ochrosia oppositifolia

Family: Apocynaceae

What it is like

A small tree up to 10 m high. The leaves occur at the ends of twigs. The leaves are clustered 3 or 4 in a circle. They are oval or rounded and narrow towards the base of the leaf. The leaf is dark green and shiny. There are many parallel side veins. The leaves are 12-28 cm long by 6-13 cm wide. The leaf stalk is 3-7 cm long. The tree has lots of milky sap or latex. The flowers are clustered in dense branched arrangements. These are white and 8-15 cm long. The fruit are oval and flattened. They hang in pairs. The nut is oval with two flat seeds inside.

There are 21 Ochrosia species. The leaves are burned to ash for fish poison. There are about 20 Neisosperma species of which this is a synonym.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in coastal woodlands. In the Philippines they are found only in Mindanao and Basilan. It occurs in forest along the sea shore. It can grow in salty, sandy and alkaline soils. It grows up to 200 m above sea level. It grows near the shore. The seeds are distributed by sea currents. It grows on sandy soils on atolls and high islands.

Countries/locations it is found in

Andamans, Asia, Caroline Islands, Chuuk, Cook Is., East Timor, French Polynesia, Guam, Fiji, Hawaii, India, Indonesia, Kiribati, Malaysia, Maldives, Mariana Islands, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, New Caledonia, Nuie, Pacific, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Rotuma, Samoa, SE Asia, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Tahiti, THailand, Timor-Leste, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, USA, Vanuatu, Wallis & Futuna, Yap

How it is used for food

The very flat seeds are eaten raw or cooked. CAUTION: The fruit is poisonous.

The seeds are eaten especially by children.

Edible parts

Seeds, fruit, kernels

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed. Seeds need to be fresh.

Its other names

Local names

Buah sousouri, Dhunburi, Fagot, Fao, Ginlin, Hisk par, Kojbar, Mo, Paopao, Paupau, Pohon holei kalong, Pohon kayu kalong, Tyake, Uaoch, Ulo, Uma, Umo, Umwa, Umwo, Varear, Varovaro, Vava

Synonyms

Ochrosia borbonica Gmel; Ochrosia parviflora (Forst.) Henslow; Ochrosia salubris Blume; Neisosperma oppositifolia (Lamarck) Fosberg & Sachet; and several others