Mossman Mahogany
Dysoxylum arborescens

Family: Meliaceae

What it is like

A medium to large tree with rigid branches. It can be 6-10 m high and spread to 3-8 m wide. It has smooth branches with lenticels. The bark of the young branches is dark red. The leaves are alternate and scattered with 7 pairs of leaflets. The leaves are 12-20 cm long. The leaf stalks have grooves along their length. The leaflets are thinly leathery and shiny on the upper surface. The leaflets are 7-15 cm long by 2.5-5 cm wide. They are oblong and unequal at the base. Flowers are borne in the axils of leaves and are yellowish white. They are small, about 1 cm across. The stamens are slightly shorter than the petals. The fruit are round but flattened and can be wrinkled. They are red and with 5 cells. The flesh is white and they have 1 to 4 seeds.

Medicine for coughs is made from the bark. There are about 80-200 Dysoxylum species. They occur in Asia and the Pacific in the tropics.

Where it is found

A tropical and subtropical plant. They grow in mixed mountain forest in the tropics. They are found in the Philippines in lower and middle altitude forests throughout the islands. They need acid and well drained soil.

Countries/locations it is found in

Andamans, Asia, Australia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, SE Asia, Solomon Islands, Taiwan, Thailand, Vanuatu

How it is used for food

The seeds are peeled and roasted and eaten.

Edible parts

Seeds

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seed which must be planted while fresh.

In Australia, flowering occurs in November to December.

Its other names

Local names

Birimi, Kalimutain, Paang, Ta suea khon

Synonyms

Alliaria nernstii (F. Muell.) Kuntzel Dysoxylum nernstii F. Muell.; Goniocheton arborescens Blume;