Wein tree
Weinmannia fraxinea

Family: Cunoniaceae

What it is like

A tree which loses its leaves. It grows 11 m tall. The trunk can be 60-120 cm wide. The leaves are opposite or in rings. The leaves have leaflets along the stalk. The leafy growth at the base of the leaf stalk is kidney shaped and remains on the shoots. It is 2 cm long by 2.5 cm wide. There are 5-7 leaflets which are long and narrow and 7-12 cm long by 2-3 cm wide. They are unequal at the base. There can be rounded or sharp teeth along the edge. The flowers occur along a stalk 12 cm long. They are usually in pairs at the ends of small branches. The flowers are small. Male and female flowers are separate. The fruit is softly hairy. It is an oval capsule. It is 6-7 mm long and contains 6-8 seeds. The seed are 3 mm long.

There are about 150-190 Weinmannia species. There are about 70 Weinmannia species in tropical America.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in forest from sea level to 1100 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, SE Asia, Solomon Islands, Thailand

How it is used for food

The bark is used to flavour and colour food red eg sago.

Edible parts

Bark

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds.

The bark can be dried and stored.

Its other names

Local names

Aeru, Kulit papeda, Pohon wein, Taeru

Synonyms

Pterophylla fraxinea D. Don; Weinmannia sundana Heyne (non Blume, nec Miquel)