Torres strait scrambler, Sweet gum tree
Uvaria rufa

Family: Annonaceae

What it is like

A climbing shrub or creeper. It grows up to 20 m long. The younger parts are covered with hairs. The leaves are alternate and hairy. They are pointed at the tip and heart shaped at the base. They are 8 to 16 cm long. The flowers have a sweet smell. The fruit are borne in rounded clusters. They are oval, hairy and red. They contain two rows of flat semicircular seeds.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. They occur from central Luzon to southern Mindanao in the Philippines in small areas of shrub and in forests at low altitudes. It grows in southern China in mountainous sparse forests between 400-1700 m. altitude. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, China, Cambodia, Cuba, East Timor, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, SE Asia, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Torres Strait, Vietnam, West Indies

How it is used for food

The ripe fruit are eaten raw or cooked as a vegetable. The dried fruit are used as a masticatory.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

They are sometimes cultivated. Plants can be grown by seeds.

In NE Thailand fruit are ripe March to May.

Its other names

Local names

Allagat, Calabao rufa, Kalak rufa, Larak, Mak phi phuan, Pisang-pisang, Saomaoprey, Susung-Kalabau, Thevakodi, Ting tang, Treal sva, Triel sva

Synonyms

Guatteria rufa Dunal; Unona setigera Blanco; Uva rufa Kuntze; Uvaria astrosticta Miq.; Uvaria bancana Scheff.; Uvaria branderhorstii Burck; Uvaria fauveliana Pierre ex Ast; Uvaria ridleyi King; Uvaria setigera Blanco; Uvaria solanifolia C. Presl.;