Elaeocarpus stipularis

Family: Elaeocarpaceae

What it is like

A tree. The trunk is 15 cm across. It grows 8-30 m high. The bark is light brown and cracked. The leaves are drooping. The leaves are shiny and dark green. Old leaves are bright red. The leaves are 7-25 cm long by 3-9 cm wide. They are narrowly oval with a pointed tip. The young leaves have velvety hairs. The flowers are 1.5 cm across and white. They are in unbranched sprays 7-13 cm long. There are 30-40 yellow stamens on a raised orange disk. The fruit is hard and green. They are 2-4 cm across. They have an oily pulp and a wrinkled stone with 1-3 seeds. Fruit are edible.

There are about 360 Elaeocarpus species mostly in the tropics.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in forests, including swamps up to 1,200 m above sea level. It can grow on basic and poor soils as well as clay soils.

Countries/locations it is found in

Andaman Islands, Asia, Brunei, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Sarawak, SE Asia, Thailand, Vietnam

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Belensi, Com la-be, Deruman pelandok, Jambu kelawar, Kungkurad, Medang api, Medang kelawar, Medang miang, Pensi antu

Synonyms

Elaeocarpus baramensis Knuth.; Elaeocarpus fissistipulus Miq.; Elaeocarpus helferi Kurz ex Mast.; Elaeocarpus tomentosus Blume;