Okari
Terminalia kaernbachii

Family: Combretaceae

What it is like

A large tree. It can be 20-30 m tall. It usually has buttresses. The branches are in layers and the leaves are mostly near the ends of the thick twigs. The twigs are hairy when young. The young leaves are yellow-green. The leaves are large, hairy and reddish brown. The leaf stalks are 2 cm long. The leaves can be 15-28 cm long by 6-13 cm wide. They are thick and with a tip at the end. They taper towards the base. The veins often stick out underneath the leaf and are depressed on the upper surface of the leaf. The flowers occur on spikes which stick upwards. The buds are usually hairy. The flower stalks are shorter then T. impediens. The fruit is very large, up to 11 cm x 8 cm and slightly flattened. They are red and smooth when ripe. The fruit have reddish brown hairs when young. The fruit has a large woody stone inside. The stone inside the fruit splits into 2 more or less equal parts. The seedling leaves are 3-4 and thin.

There are about 200-250 Terminalia species. They are tropical.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It occurs in lowland areas. They will grow up to 1300 m altitude but do not produce well at this altitude. At Botanical Ark Mossman.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Hawaii, Indonesia, Marquesas, North America, Pacific, Papua New Guinea (country/location of origin), Philippines, Pohnpei, SE Asia, Singapore, Solomon Islands (country/location of origin), Sri Lanka, USA

How it is used for food

The kernel inside the stone of the fruit is edible. It is eaten raw and also roasted or baked. The seed can be pressed to extract oil.

A very popular and very important nut in Papua New Guinea. It is a cultivated food plant.

Edible parts

Nuts, kernel

How it is grown

Okari nut trees are normally grown from seeds. Seeds grow easily but rapidly lose their viability. The trees grow very fast and they can increase in height by up to 2 metres in one year. But trees need to be fairly old before they produce many nuts. Twenty year old trees often only produce a few nuts. Fruit are normally harvested after falling.

Trees grow quickly but nut production may not start for 20 years. The kernel can be 7-8 cm long and 3-4 cm wide. The kernel is made up of coiled leaves which make up the seed. A kernel can weigh up to 10 grams in weight.

Its other names

Local names

Alita fasia, Favie, Ghaghimanga, Hogolo, Iuwa, Manavasa, Naklise, Nyiga, Pohon ketapang okari, Sai, Saido, Sarigi, Talia lavata, Talise, Tatalise, Topo, Tukai'o, Uka, Yumu

Synonyms

Terminalia okari C.T.White;