Slender-fruited Orange Mangrove
Bruguiera parviflora

Family: Rhizophoraceae

What it is like

A straight growing tree of medium size. It reaches 35 m high. The trunk is straight and up to 30 cm across. The bark is smooth and grey with white blotches. It can have buttresses up to 1 m high and has knee shaped aerial roots. The leaves are in tufts at the end of the upward bending twigs. The leaves are dull or yellowish green, long and tapering at both ends. They are 4-11 cm long by 2-4 cm wide. The leaf stalk is less than 2.5 cm. The flowers are in groups of 2-5 on stalks in the axils of leaves. The flowers are small being 0.3 cm across. The fruit is long, about 1.5- 3 cm and with 8 tiny teeth clasping the slender (10-20 cm) long hypocotyl.

There are 6 Bruguiera species. They grow in tropical mangrove swamps.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows on the inner edge of the mangrove swamp on level or slightly sloping ground. It occurs along flooded tidal rivers and can be flooded by normal high tides. It prefers stiff, humus rich mud. It is not shade tolerant so needs open land to germinate and grow. It occurs from India to Vanuatu.

Countries/locations it is found in

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

How it is used for food

The fruit if eaten is only occasionally used. The germinating embryo is eaten as a vegetable.

It is not known if it is used for food in Papua New Guinea.

Edible parts

Seeds, embryo

How it is grown

Seeds can be planted directly or seedlings can be transplanted. The fruit can easily be spread by rain and water and often washes onto the higher pieces of mangrove swamp land.

In the southern hemisphere it flowers and fruits in July.

Its other names

Local names

Byu-kyettet, Hnit, Lenggadai, Langkadai, Nangkadai, Small-leafed Orange mangrove, Tua dam, Tua kao, Vurada

Synonyms

Rhizophora parviflora Roxb.;