Barringtonia asiatica

Barringtonia asiatica, known variously as fish poison tree, putat and beach Barringtonia among other names, is a species of plants in the brazil nut family Lecythidaceae. It is native to coastal habitats from Tanzania and Madagascar in the west to tropical Asia, northern Australia, and islands of the western Pacific Ocean. It was described by Wilhelm Sulpiz Kurz in 1875 and has a conservation status of least concern. It has been used by a number of traditional cultures as a fish poison.

Description

A small tree. It is 5-9 m tall. It can grow up to 25 m. It spreads to 3-5 m wide. The trunk is short and erect and branches occur from near the base. The leaves are 20 to 40 cm long and 10-15 cm wide and without individual leaf stalks. They are shiny light green, and larger near the tip than the base. The tip is rounded and somewhat pointed. The flowers are large and pink and white. They are 3-5 cm across. The fruit is sharply 4 and rarely 5-angled. The fruit are 12 cm across, woody and broad at one end. They contain one large seed.

Edible Uses

The young leaf shoots, young flowers, and young fruit may be eaten fresh. Young fruit are eaten as a vegetable, and the seeds have been recorded as cooked and eaten in Indonesia and the Andaman Islands. Cooking destroys the saponins.

Traditional Uses

The young leaf shoots may be eaten fresh. The young flowers are also eaten. The young fruit have been recorded eaten as a vegetable. Cooking destroys the saponins. CAUTION This plant is used as a fish poison. They contain saponins. The seeds are oily and toxic. They have been recorded as being cooked and eaten in Indonesia and the Andaman Islands.

Medicinal Uses

A decoction of the leaves is used to treat hernia. The leaves are heated and externally applied for stomach-ache. Fresh leaves are applied topically to bring relief from rheumatism and to treat sores. The fruits are applied externally as a treatment for sores. The toxic seeds are employed as a vermifuge. Although toxic, the dried nut is ground, mixed with water and drunk to treat coughs, influenza, sore throat and bronchitis. Used externally, the fresh nut is scraped and applied directly to wounds and sores. It is also applied to a swollen spleen after an attack of malaria. A decoction of the bark is used to treat constipation and epilepsy. The bark is used externally for treating sores. In tests, the leaf material of this species was active against some tumours.

Known Hazards

The plant is highly toxic to humans. Many traditional cultures have used the bark and seeds as a fish poison – they are crushed or pounded to release the saponins contained within, and then placed in slow moving freshwater streams or coral lagoons. The fish are quickly killed or stunned, but the mechanism is not fully understood. The fruit have been used as floats for fishing nets. The timber is not very hardy and thus has limited use. The bark, leaves and fruit have been used for medical complaints such as headaches, backaches, sores, and bad dreams.

Distribution

A tropical plant. They occur along the seashore throughout the islands of Asia and the Pacific. Trees often lean out over the sea. It prefers well-composted, moist, well-drained soil. It can grow easily in sandy soil. It can tolerate salty soils. It suits a protected sunny position. It is drought and frost tender. It suits hardiness zones 11-12.

Where It Grows

Africa, American Samoa, Andamans, Asia, Australia, British Indian Ocean Terr., BIOT, Cambodia, Carolines, Chuuk, Comoros, Cook Islands, Dominican Republic, East Africa, East Timor, Fiji, French Polynesia, FSM, Hawaii, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Kiribati, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mariana Islands, Marquesas, Mascarenes, Mauritius, Micronesia, Mozambique, Myanmar, New Caledonia, Pacific, Palau, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Philippines, Philippines, Rotuma, Samoa, SE Asia, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tahiti, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, USA, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Wallis and Futuna, West Indies,

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from cuttings or seed. Seed need to be sown fresh. Seed germinate readily. Young trees need shade. Plants can be grown by layering.

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe. About 70% of the seed germinates in 36 - 63 days. Cuttings.

Other Uses

The dried fruits are used as floats. The yellowish to red wood is light, soft and easy to split. It is used for making furniture, carving and turnery.

Production

Seed take up to 2 months to germinate but seedlings grow very quickly.

Other Information

It is not known if it is used for food in Papua New Guinea. A very minor food.

Notes

The seeds are used as a fish poison due to a chemical saponin. There are about 40 Barringtonia species. The seeds contain Hydrocyanic acid and triterpene acids.

Synonyms

Also Known As

Bitung, Botong, Butun, Fish Poison Tree, Futu, Hotu, Hutu, Keben, Keiengal, Kimbi, Kinbi, Kyi-gyi, Motong-botong, Navel, Pertun, Putat ayer, Putat gajah, Putat laut, Puteng, Queens of shores, Reang, Sea putat, Te baireati, Vutu, Waap, Waba, Waiep, Wan bibi

References (49)

• Ambasta S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 68
• Barwick, M., 2004, Tropical and Subtropical Trees. A Worldwide Encyclopedic Guide. Thames and Hudson p 43
• Bhargava, N., 1983, Ethnobotanical Studies of the Tribes of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. 1. Onge. Economic Botany 37(1): 110-119
• Bircher, A. G. & Bircher, W. H., 2000, Encyclopedia of Fruit Trees and Edible Flowering Plants in Egypt and the Subtropics. AUC Press. p 54 (Also as Barringtonia butonica)
• Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 133

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