Maprang
Bouea macrophylla

Family: Anacardiaceae

What it is like

A medium sized tree. It grows 10-20 m tall. The bark is light brown and cracked. The branches are low and hanging. They can be angular or flattened. The leaves occur opposite one another along the stem. They are simple and oblong. They are 14-30 cm long by 5-8 cm wide. The leaves are opposite one another but each pair is at right angles to the nearby ones. The leaves are rough. The base is wedge shaped and they taper to the tip. The flowers are small and green. They occur in clusters at the ends of branches or in the axils of leaves. These flowering stalks are 4-12 cm long. The fruit are small and oval with one large seed. The fruit are 2.5-5 cm across. They are orange. They have a thin skin and edible flesh. There are several different named kinds.

There are 3 accepted Bouea species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in the lowlands. It grows in the humid tropics. It does best in light fertile soil. It grows naturally up to 300 m altitude but has been planted up to 850 m altitude. In Cairns Botanical Gardens.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, China, Cuba, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia (country/location of origin), Myanmar, Peru, Puerto Rico, SE Asia (country/location of origin), Singapore, South America, Taiwan, Thailand, West Indies

How it is used for food

The ripe fruit are used fresh or cooked and used in preserves. They are peeled. The young green fruit are pickled for curries. The young leaves can be eaten fresh and with rice.

It is a cultivated food plant. Fruit are sold in markets. The young leaves are also sold in markets.

Edible parts

Fruit, leaves

How it is grown

Plants are normally grown from seed. It can be grown by air-layering or grafting. A spacing of 10 m x 12 m is used. Young plants need shade.

The first harvest is ready after 8-10 years using seedlings and after 5-6 years using vegetative plants. A mature tree can produce 200 kg of fruit in a season.

Its other names

Local names

Bandaria, Gandaria, Gondongan, Jantake, Kondongan, Kundag, Kundang, Kundang daun besar, Kundangan setar, Ma praang, Pao gandari, Rembunia, Remenya, Rumenia, Setar, Si-kundangan, Somprang, Star

Synonyms

Bouea gandaria Bl.; Tropidopetalum javanicum Turcz.;