Baccaurea racemosa

Baccaurea racemosa (common names: kapundung or menteng) is a species of fruit tree in Southeast Asia. It belongs to the family Phyllanthaceae. The name of the elite suburb of Menteng in central Jakarta comes from this tree.

Description

A tree. It grows 15-25 m tall. The trunk can be 25-70 cm across. The crown is irregular shaped and dense. The leaves are oval and 7-18 cm long by 3-7 cm wide. The leaves have glands. The leaf stalk is 0.5-4.5 cm long. The leafy growths at the base of the leaves (stipules) are triangle shaped. The flowering stalks are on the old branches or on the trunks. The male and female flowers are separate. The male flowering stalks are 5-13 cm long. The flowers are in clusters of 3. The female flowering stalks are 10-20 cm long. The fruit are white and about 3.5 cm across. When ripe they turn scarlet. They are covered with fine silvery hairs.

Edible Uses

Fruits eaten fresh, stewed, pickled or fermented. Much esteemed by local people. The fruit must be eaten sparingly, or vomiting may occur. The sub-acid, yellow-green or reddish fruits are 20 - 24mm in diameter with a pink pulp.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are eaten raw. They can be sweet or acidic. Caution: There are reports of vomiting from eating large amounts of fruit.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

We have no specific information on this species, but the bark of several members of this genus is used to relieve eye inflammation.

Known Hazards

There are reports of vomiting from eating large amounts of the fruit.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows in rainforest and in fresh water swamps. It grows up to 1,100 m above sea level. In Cairns BG.

Where It Grows

Asia, Australia, Brunei, India, Indochina, Indonesia*, Malaysia, SE Asia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand,

Cultivation

Plants can be grown by seeds, air-layering and grafting,

Propagation

Seed - when sown fresh it usually germinates in a few days.

Other Uses

Dyes are made from the bark. A dye is obtained from the leaves. A fibre used for making paper is obtained from the plant. This could mean the pulped wood. The excellent timber is used for house and boat construction and furniture making. In common with other trees that produce their flowers and fruits on the trunk of the tree, members of this genus are generally considered to be good support trees for the climbing rattan palms, which are grown to provide material for basket making, weaving into furniture, making ropes etc.

Other Information

It is a cultivated fruit tree.

Notes

There are about 80 Baccaurea species.

Synonyms

Also Known As

Bencoy, Engkuni, Jintah merah, Jintek merah, Jintek-jintek, Kapunduang, Kapundung, Kau masam, Kepundung, Kononau, Kunau, Longkumo, Lulai paya, Mentali, Menteng, Moho liox, Motok hei, Pohon menteng emas, Rambai ayam, Setambun, Steambun betina, Tuku-takal, Tunding undang, Umbarian

References (25)

• Arora, R. K., 2014, Diversity in Underutilized Plant Species - An Asia-Pacific Perspective. Bioversity International. p 60
• Bircher, A. G. & Bircher, W. H., 2000, Encyclopedia of Fruit Trees and Edible Flowering Plants in Egypt and the Subtropics. AUC Press. p 51 (Also as Baccaurea wallichii)
• Blench, R., 2004, Fruits and Arboriculture in the Indo-Pacific Region. Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association Bulletin 24. (Taipei Papers Volume 2) p 35
• Burkill, I.H., 1966, A Dictionary of the Economic Products of the Malay Peninsula. Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Vol 1 (A-H) p 280, Also p 283 (As Baccaurea wallichii)
• A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 15(2):461. 1866

More from Phyllanthaceae

Baccaurea dolichobotrys

Baccaurea dulcis

Rambai

Baccaurea edulis

Baccaurea griffithii

Baccaurea javanica

Burmese grape tree, Engkuni fruit tree

Baccaurea macrocarpa

Greater Tampoi