Sobo lepisanthes
Lepisanthes amoena

Family: Sapindaceae

What it is like

A shrub or small tree. It grows 7-10 m high. The leaves are alternate and compound. The leaves have 15-31 leaflets. The flowering shoots are 60 cm long. The flowers are 6 mm across. They are yellow to red. The fruit is a 3 lobed berry. It is 2-3 cm across. It is orange brown. There are 1-4 seeds.

There are 24-40 Lepisanthes species. They are mostly in the tropics.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in forests up to 1,200 m altitude. It can be in swamp forest. It grows on sandy and clay soils.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sarawak, SE Asia, Timor

How it is used for food

The fruit is edible but astringent.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds.

Its other names

Local names

Buah matahari, Buah sobo, Angkilili, Kalansua, Kayu mata hari, Kelampa sowa, Langir, Songbum

Synonyms

Capura spectabilis (Blume) Teijsm. & Binn.; Melicocca amoena Hassk.; Otolepis amoena (Hassk.) Kuntze; Otolepis cordigera (Radlk.) Kuntze; Otolepis imbricata (Blume) Kuntze; Otolepis pubescens (Blume) Kuntze; Otolepis spectabilis (Blume) Kuntze; Otophora amoena (Hassk.) Blume; Otophora confinis Blume; Otophora cordigera Radlk.; Otophora imbricata Blume; Otophora pubescens Blume; Otophora spectabilis Blume; Otophora spectabilis var. pubicosta Blume; Otophora styligera Radlk.; Schleichera amoena (Hassk.) Walp.;