White flowered black mangrove
Lumnitzera racemosa
Family: Combretaceae
What it is like
A shrub or small tree. It grows to 4-8 m tall and spreads to 1-2 m wide Young plant parts have small hairs. The bark is rough and dark grey and has slight cracks along it. The leaves are often clustered near the ends of branches. They are arranged in spirals. The leaves are oval and 3-6 cm long by 1-2 cm wide. They are rounded at the tip and taper at the base. They are leathery and light green. There is often a notch at the tip of the leaf. The flowering stalks in the axils of leaves are branched and produce 3-7 flowers. The flowers are fleshy and white. The flower lobes are triangular and petals are 4 mm long by 1 mm wide. The fruit is narrow and oval. It is 12 mm long by 4 mm wide. The fruit is fibrous and has a single seed.
It provides a good slow burning firewood. There are 3 Lumnitzera species.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It normally grows in mud flats which are flooded by the tide. It is normally near river mouths where fresh water also flows.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, British Indian Ocean Terr., BIOT, Cambodia, East Africa, East Timor, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mozambique, Myanmar, SE Asia, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Polynesia, SE Asia, Singapore, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam
How it is used for food
The leaves are eaten.
It is a famine food.
Edible parts
Leaves
How it is grown
It is grown from seed.
In Australia, plants flower from October to May and fruit from January to June.
Its other names
Local names
Burevi, Dawai-hmaing, Duduk laki-laki, Duduk, Eilk-pathwe, Fat, Kadivi, Katakkantal, Kikandaa, Kripa, Mkandaa-dume,Mkandaa-mwitu, Spring-tide mangrove, Thandara, Tipparathai, Truntum bunga puteh, Tunda, Yinye