Piu, Usasi
Canarium kaniense

Family: Burseraceae

What it is like

A large tree up to 40 m high and sometimes with buttresses. The small branches are 0.5-1 cm thick. They do not have hairs. The branches have one or two round cylinders of vascular strands when cut cross ways. (Like in a root). The leafy stalk (stipule) at the base of the leaf is oval and 1-3 cm long by 0.5-2 cm wide. The edges of this are deeply toothed and can be almost like a fringe. The leaf can have 3-5 or 6 leaflets. They do not have hairs. The leaflets are oval and 8-12 cm long by 3.5-7 cm wide. They can be papery or slightly leathery. The base of the leaflet is slightly slanting. The leaflets do not have teeth around the edge. The top of the leaf ends fairly abruptly. There are 9-15 pairs of side veins. These are slightly curved and at an angle. The flowers are near the ends of the branches. The flower clusters can be 30 cm long. They are densely covered with fine hairs. There are 5-6 fruit on a stalk. Individual fruit have very short stalks. Fruit are 5-6 cm long and 3-4 cm across. They are triangular in cross section. Normally there is only one seed inside with the other cells empty.

There are 80-95 Canarium species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It occurs mostly on the mainland and only in Papua New Guinea. Plants are mostly between 1,000 and 2,000 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Pacific, Papua New Guinea

How it is used for food

The oily seeds are eaten.

A minor wild edible nut in Papua New Guinea.

Edible parts

Seeds, nuts

How it is grown

Plants normally are self sown from seed.

The fruit/nut production is seasonal. Flowering is in December and fruiting from January to March.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Canarium gawadaense Baker;