Buku-buku, Biku-biku
Bhesa indica

Family: Centroplacaceae

What it is like

A tree. It grows 30 m tall. The bark is smooth and brown. The leaves are simple and alternate. They are in spirals or clustered at the ends of twigs. The leaf stalks are 3-5 cm long and swollen at the ends. The leaf blade is 10-18 cm long by 5-9 cm wide. They are narrowly oval and taper to a short tip. The flowers are in panicles at the ends of branches. They are small and white. The fruit is a red capsule with 2 lobes. There is one seed in each lobe.

Also put in the family Celastraceae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in wet evergreen forests. It grows between 900-1,600 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Malaysia, SE Asia, Singapore, Thailand

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten. They don't have much taste.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Benak, Kadapala, Kadapla, Medang tandok, Penali, Perungarandam, Sepauh

Synonyms

Kurrimia indica Gamble; Kurrimia bipartita M. Lawson; Kurrimia paniculata Wall.; Trichosandra indica Bedd.;