Cannonball mangrove, Monkey-puzzle nuts
Xylocarpus granatum

Family: Meliaceae

What it is like

A tall evergreen tree. It grows 15 m high. It has a single trunk. They are shorter in low rainfall areas. Often the trunk is crooked when grown in mangrove swamps. The buttresses extend across the mud. The bark is bright orange brown and smooth. It can have buttresses and aerial roots. The bark is yellowish green. The leaves are alternate and tend to be pointed upwards. The leaves are dark green and oval. The are leathery and have a rounded tip. The base tapers. The leaves are 6 cm long by 3 cm wide. The flowers are very small and white or cream. The flowers are four parted and about 1 cm wide. They occur at the ends of branches in small clusters. The fruit is very large and brown. They are round and occur singly. They have a long stalk. The fruit is round and 12-15 cm across and brown when ripe. The seeds are like four faced triangles.

There are 3 Xylocarpus species. The fruit are used in medicine.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. They occur in open forest and near mangrove. It grows on flooded areas of mangrove swamps that are occasionally inundated. It grows up to 10 m above sea level. It occurs on sandy beaches. It grows near tidal streams. They occur from East Africa, India to Polynesia. They only occur in the drier parts of mangrove swamps which are only occasionally flooded. It can tolerate heavy shade.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, China, Chuuk, East Africa, Fiji, Guam, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Madagascar, Malaysia, Micronesia, Mozambique, Myanmar, New Caledonia, Pacific, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Pohnpei, Rotuma, SE Asia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Southern Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Tonga, Truk, Vietnam, Yap

How it is used for food

The fruit are chewed with betel leaf.

Edible parts

Seeds, fruit

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed. The seed float easily. The young shoot can be 60-90 cm long before producing leaves.

It grows rapidly.

Its other names

Local names

Brok, Cedar mangrove, Dhundul, Emogul, Kandalangay, Lalanyog, Meduulokebong, Mkomafi, Mtonga, Murudokobon, Pulbun, Pussur, Pwulok, Pwunopwun, Tabun khao, Yamgur

Synonyms

Nyireh bunga; Carapa moluccensis W.P.Hiern, non Lam.; Carapa obovata Blume; Carapa granatum (Koenig) Alston;