Sea bean, Liusin
Maranthes corymbosa

Family: Chrysobalanaceae

What it is like

A large tree with greyish white thick and rigid branches. They are spreading and often drooping. It grows 8-15 m high and spreads 5-10 m wide. The young shoots have soft white hairs. The leaves are like paper and rounded and long and smooth. They are 7-15 cm long by 3-4 cm wide. There are 2 cup shaped glands on the upper surface near the leaf stalk. The flowers are crowded together on a stalk 10 cm long. The flowers are 1 cm across and cream. The fruit are oblong about 3 cm long and about 0.5 cm thick. They are reddish-purple to black.

There are about 12 Maranthes species. They are mostly in tropical Africa. The fruit of most species are edible.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It suits places with a seasonally dry climate. It needs well drained soil. It is sensitive to frost. It is widely distributed in lowland forest regions throughout the Philippines. It grows in northern Australia. In grows in monsoonal rainforests and coastal scrub. It grows from sea level to 1,500 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Brunei, Caroline Islands, Central America, East Timor, Indochina, Indonesia, Malaysia, Micronesia, Pacific, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, SE Asia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Thailand, Timor-Leste

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten raw.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from fresh seed or cuttings.

Its other names

Local names

Bangkawang, Bkau, Merbatu, Bansissian, Buenza, Kajebabu, Kayu batu, Kembang batu, Makkulurr, Myalin laat, Obah, Parada, Potang, Sibom, Undo

Synonyms

Chrysobalanus ciliatus Korth. ex Miq.; Exitelia corymbosa (Bl.) Bl.; Exitia multiflora (Korth.) Walp.; Ferolia corymbosa (Bl.) O. Ktze; Ferolia griffithiana (Benth.) O. Ktze; Ferolia minutiflora Kuntze [Invalid]; Ferolia salicifolia (Presl) O. Ktze; Grymania salicifolia Presl; Maranthes multiflora Korth. Maranthes speciosa Korth. ex Miq.; Parinarium corymbosum (Bl.) Miq.; Parinarium griffithianum Benth. in Hook.f.; Parinarium maranthes Bl.; Parinarium multiflorum (Korth.) Miq.; Parinarium palauense Kanehira; Parinarium racemosum Vidal; Parinarium salicifolium (Presl) Miq.; Petrocarya griffithiana (Benth.) Miers; Petrocarya maranthes (Blume) Miers [Illegitimate]; Polyalthia pulchrinervia Boerl.;