Allophylus timoriensis

(DC.) Blume

Green allophylus

Sapindaceae Edible: Fruit 239 iNaturalist observations

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

Summary

Allophylus timoriensis (synonym Allophylus marquesensis) is a species of plant in the family Sapindaceae. It is native to an area from Thailand through Southeast Asia to islands of the Pacific Ocean.

Description

A small tree or shrub. It can grow up to 12 m high. The leaves are alternate and have 3 leaflets. The leaf stalk is 3-10 cm long. The leaf blades are narrowly oval and 6-18 cm long. The end leaflet is the largest. The flowers occur as many in branched flower arrangements. These can be 12 cm long. They are at the ends of branches or in the axils of the upper leaves. The flowers are separately male and female but on the same tree. The sexes are mixed in the same flower cluster. The fruit are double and dry. They are orange to red and 7-10 mm across.

Edible Uses

Ripe fruit are eaten, especially by children.

Traditional Uses

Ripe fruit are eaten.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows in lowland forest. It is mostly on the coast but can grow up to 1150 m altitude in Samoa. It grows on atolls.

Where It Grows

American Samoa, Asia, Caroline Islands, China, Chuuk, Cook Islands, East Timor, Fiji, FSM, Indochina, Indonesia, Kiribati, Malaysia, Marquesas, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Myanmar, New Caledonia, Pacific, Palau, Philippines, Pohnpei, Rotuma, Samoa, SE Asia, Solomon Islands, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Yap,

Other Information

The fruit are especially eaten by children.

Notes

There are 190-200 Allophyllus species. Some say there is just one widely variable species.

Synonyms

Allophyllus cobbe sensu., non (L.) Raeusch.Allophyllus marquesensis F.Br.Allophyllus sublaxis GillespieAllophyllus ternatus (Forst.) Radlk.Allophyllus vitiensis Radlk.Schmidelia obovata A. GraySchmidelia timoriensis DC.

Also Known As

Chebeludes, Fisoa, Kaingga, Kitak, Kutaak, Nggalinggawa

References (7)

Altschul, S.V.R., 1973, Drugs and Foods from Little-known Plants. Notes in Harvard University Herbaria. Harvard Univ. Press. Massachusetts. no. 2580
Flora of Solomon Islands
Franklin, J., Keppel, G., & Whistler, W., 2008, The vegetation and flora of Lakeba, Nayau and Aiwa Islands, Central Lau Group, Fiji. Micronesica 40(1/2): 169–225, 2008
Kitalong, A. H., DeMeo, R. A., & Holm, T., 2013, A Field Guide to the Native Trees of Palau. 2nd edition. USDA p 32
Smith, A.C., 1985, Flora Vitiensis Nova, Lawaii, Kuai, Hawaii, Volume 3 p 584

Show all 7 references