Northern Yellow Boxwood, Yellow Teak
Planchonella myrsinodendron

Family: Sapotaceae

What it is like

A large tree with buttresses. It grows up to 15-25 m high and spreads out to 10-15 m across. The branches are spreading and the bark brownish green and smooth. Young growth has hairs. The leaves are alternate and the edge of the leaf is often wavy. The midrib of the leaf sticks out on the lower surface. There are 10-12 pairs of side veins. The leaf is up to 8-20 cm x 3-8 cm. The leaf stalk is 2 cm long with a gland half way along. The flowers are in clusters of 3-6 and are pale yellow. The fruit is a berry 2.5 x 1.5 cm across. It becomes dark red. The seed is about 2 cm by 1 cm. It is brown and shiny when ripe.

There are about 100 Planchonella species. They are mostly in Asia and the Pacific.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows on hill slopes up to 800 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Australia (country/location of origin), Indonesia, Malaysia, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, SE Asia, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants are grown from fresh seed.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Chrysophyllum myrsinodendron F. Muell.; Planchonella obovoidea Lamk.; Pouteria myrsinodendron (F. Muell.) Jessup; Pouteria obovoidea (H. J. Lam) Baehni;