Buchanania arborescens

Buchanania arborescens, commonly known as the little gooseberry tree or sparrow's mango, is a small and slender tree native to seasonal tropical forests of northern Australia, Southeast Asia, and the Solomon Islands. The leaves are spirally arranged, smooth, leathery, elongated oblong, 5–26 cm long. The flowers are very small cream to yellowish white. The edible fruit are globular, small (1 cm long), reddish to purple-black. Torresian imperial pigeons and other birds eat these. The species was formally described in 1826 by botanist Carl Ludwig Blume based on plant specimens collected from Java. Initially naming it Coniogeton arborescens, Blume transferred the species to the genus Buchanania in 1850. In Australia the species occurs naturally across the northern extremities of the continent from Western Australia and across the Northern Territory to Queensland where it extends down the east coast as far south as Hinchinbrook Island.

Description

A medium sized evergreen tree. It grows 10-15 m high and with a spread of 3 m. The tree shape is like a cone, not an umbrella. It has round branches and a smooth tip. The leaves come one after the other around the branch and are crowded near the ends of branches. The young shoots are covered with silky hairs. New growth is bronze red. The leaves are darker green on the upper surface. They are shiny and stiff and look like mango leaves. The leaves are 5-26 cm long by 2-7 cm wide. The veins and mid rib show up clearly. The leaf stalk is 4-6 cm long. The flowers are dull white to cream and very small (0.2-0.4 cm long) in long flowering branches. These flowering branches occur on the ends of branches or in the angles of upper leaves. At flowering time the whole tree has a white display of flowers. The flowers have a sweet smell. Only one of the five female flower parts is fertile producing fruit. The fruit are berries (drupes) and on short stalks. They are hard, smooth and dull red or purple. They are about 1 cm across and flattish. It is an attractive ornamental and shade producing tree.

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked. The unripe fruits, when boiled, impart an agreeable acidity to the water, and when thus prepared, taste tolerably well. When fully ripe, they become sweet and pulpy, like gooseberries, although their rind is not very thick.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are eaten raw. They are sweet. The fruit can be used to make drinks.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

Aboriginal people eat the fruit raw. The plant is also used as a traditional medicine in Australia and Malaysia. The 1889 book 'The Useful Native Plants of Australia' records that "The unripe fruits of this plant were gathered, and, when boiled, imparted an agreeable acidity to the water, and when thus prepared, tasted tolerably well. When ripe, they become sweet and pulpy, like gooseberries, although their rind is not very thick. This resemblance induced us to call the tree 'the little gooseberry'tree" quoted from Leichhardt: Overland journey to Port Essington, p. 479.

Distribution

A tropical plant. They are found throughout the islands of the Philippines in the lower wooded regions. It is also native to Australia occurring in the northern tip regions. It prefers rich, moist, well drained soils in a sunny position but often occurs on sandstone hills. Often trees are found near monsoon forest beside freshwater streams. It gets damaged by both drought and frost. It is very frost sensitive. In north Thailand it grows below 1,200 m above sea level. It can be in mangrove swamps and coastal thickets.

Where It Grows

Andaman Islands, Asia, Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, China, East Timor, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Philippines, SE Asia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Torres Strait, Vietnam,

Cultivation

It can be grown from seed or by cuttings. Seeds should be planted in well drained soil. It needs to be kept well watered.

Other Uses

The bark is a source of tannins. The heartwood is pinkish brown, often with a grey tinge, it is not clearly defined from the lighter-coloured sapwood. The texture is rather fine and even, with straight or slightly interlocked grain. The wood is soft to moderately hard and light to moderately heavy, it is non-durable when exposed to the weather and is reported to be rather weak. It is reputed to work easily and planes to a smooth finish. Sawdust may cause dermatitis. The timber seasons well, though boards containing tension wood may distort badly. Shrinkage is moderate to high. The small size of the tree precludes any extensive utilisation of this timber, which has been used for light temporary construction, plywood, match boxes and cheap cigar boxes. Other uses include furniture, light framing, turneries and blockboards. Buchanania arborescens is common and widespread across a wide range of forest types, and it regenerates easily on disturbed sites. This makes it a good candidate for use as a pioneer in reforestation projects in areas within its native range.

Production

Flowering in the southern hemisphere occurs August to October and fruiting follows November to December being ready to harvest in January.

Other Information

It is appreciated in some communities.

Notes

There are about 25 Buchanania species. The first part of the scientific name is after Claudius Buchanan a Scottish chaplain to the East India Company in the 1800’s.

Synonyms

Also Known As

Balinghasai, Chaa muang, Dumangkarrkba, Jam jam, Jilara, Jungle plum, Kampinh doong, Khuan kung, Kra uam, Kreet, Lightwood tree, Mon, Ngauwingai, Pohon getasan, Satinwood tree, Taninthayi, Ya thum, Yawuriama yankumwani

References (40)

• Beasley, J., 2011, Plants of Tropical North Queensland - the compact guide. Footloose publications. p 171
• Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 174
• Brock, J., 1993, Native Plants of Northern Australia, Reed. p 104
• Carig, Elizabeth T. 2020, Guidebook on Native Trees within the Quirino Forest Landscape. Plaridel, Bulacan, St. Andrew Publishing House. p 30
• Chayamarit, K., 1994, Preliminary Checklist of the Family Anacardiaceae in Thailand. Thai For. Bull. 22:1-25

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