Monkey Jack, Lakoocha
Artocarpus lacucha

Family: Moraceae

What it is like

A large tree which loses its leaves during the year. The tree grows to 10-50 m high. The trunk is short and erect but is can be bent. The crown is rounded and spreading. The bark is reddish-brown and rough and scaly in old trees. The young branches are densely covered with stiff, pale brown hairs. The leaves are alternate. The leaf stalk is 2-3 cm long. The leaves are oblong and 20-30 cm long and 2-16 cm wide. Sometimes the leaves have lobes. They are dark green and smooth above but softly hairy underneath. Male and female flowers occur on the same tree. They are clustered together in the outer surface of rounded heads. These grow at the base of the leaves. The male flower head is yellow. They are 0.8-5 cm long but fall off. The fruit have a fleshy receptacle. The fruit are velvety and yellow when ripe. They are 7-13 cm across. The fruit contains 20-30 seeds. The seeds are oblong.

There are about 50 Artocarpus species. They are in the tropics and subtropics of Asia and the Pacific.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It suits a warm, humid climate. It grows in Nepal from sea level to 900 m altitude. In China it grows in forests in limestone mountains between 100-700 m altitude in Yunnan. In India it grows up to 1,500 m altitude. It is sensitive to frost, but is hardier than jackfruit. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Andamans, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Egypt, Guyana, Himalayas, India (country/location of origin), Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, North Africa, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, SE Asia, Sikkim, Solomon Islands, South America, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The flat broad seeds are eaten. The ripe fruit are eaten raw. They have a sweet-sour taste. The immature fruit are cooked in curry or used in chutney and pickles. The male flowers are pickled. The bark is chewed as a substitute for betel nut. The young shoots are cooked as a vegetable. The young leaves are used for a sour taste.

The ripe fruit are sold in markets. It is cultivated.

Edible parts

Seeds, fruit, flowers, bark, leaves, vegetable

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed. Fresh seed should be used as seed do not store well. Seedlings do not transplant well.

Trees start bearing after 6-7 years. Yields per tree can be 80 kg. In India fruit are available from June to August.

Its other names

Local names

A niao niao bei, Arimu, Armu, Badahar, Badhal, Badhar, Bak haad, Barahar, Barar, Barhal, Bartah, Belang, Berhal, Borhar, Borta, Dahua, Daowa, Dehu ja, Deophal, Dephal, Dephul, Deua, Dewa chali, Dewachaam, Dhaun, Dhawa, Dhemphal, Dheu, Etothi, Had, Heirukothong, Ingtat arong, Jram thai gidiba, Kammaregu, Kan-yae, Kathal, Keledang berok, Lakooch, Lakuch, Lirang, Lokhat, Lusuk salia, Ma haat, Maak haad, Mahad, Mai haat, Mai-mak-hat, Mayauklok-ni, Meik-mahot, Myauk-laung, Myauk-lok, Pohon nangka keledang, Pohon nangka parasmanis, Rilang, Sangyen-kung, Taeoo, Tampang ambong, Tampang gelugor, Tampang manis, Tampang nangka, Tampang, Tan-pae, Tat thei, Theitat, Vatehuli, Wotomba

Synonyms

Antiaris fretessii Teijsm.; Artocarpus acuminatissima Merr.; Artocarpus cumingiana Trecul.; Artocarpus cumingiana var. stenophylla Diels; Artocarpus dadah Miq.; Artocarpus dadah var. pubescens Miq.; Artocarpus dasyphylla var. flava J. J. Sm.; Artocarpus ficifolia W. T. Wang; Artocarpus fretessii Teijsm. & Binn.; Artocarpus inconstantissima (Miq.) Miq.; Artocarpus lakoocha Roxb.; Artocarpus lakoocha var. malayana King; Artocarpus leytensis Elmer; Artocarpus mollis Wallich; Artocarpus ovatus Blanco; Artocarpus paloensis Elmer; Artocarpus peltatus Merr.; Artocarpus refracta Becc.; Artocarpus reniformis Becc.; Artocarpus rufescens Miq.; Artocarpus vrieseanus var. papillosus F. M. Jarret; Artocarpus vrieseanus var. refractus (Becc.) F. M. Jarret; Artocarpus tampang Miq.; Artocarpus yunnanensis Hu; Ficus inconstantissima Miq.; Ficus tampang Miq.; Metrosideros spuria Rumph.; Prainia rumphiana Becc.;