Carallia brachiata

(Loureiro) Merrill

Billabong tree, Corkwood

Rhizophoraceae Edible: Fruit, Leaves - tea, Seeds - oil 867 iNaturalist observations

timber

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Summary

Carallia brachiata is a species of flowering plant in the family Rhizophoraceae. This large tree grows to a height of 25 metres (82 ft) and is found from Australia, through South East Asia to the Western Ghats. It is the host plant of the moth Dysphania percota in India and Dysphania numana in Australia.

Description

A medium sized tree. It grows up to 5-15 m tall. Sometimes it has aerial roots. The bark is cream and thick. It has cracks along it and a corky texture. The branches are in pairs which cross at right angles. It has spreading branches which point upwards. It spreads to 3-6 m wide. It can occasionally have buttresses and aerial roots. The leaves are oval and broad. They are 7-14 cm long by 4-8 cm wide. The leaves are rich glossy green on top. They have a papery texture and the underside is covered with tiny black spots. The midrib is raised underneath the leaf. The leaf stalk is 1.2 cm long. The flowers are small and composed of 5-8 greenish petals up to 2 mm long. The flowers are borne in clusters in short woody stems. These are produced in the axils of leaves or on old wood. The fruit are succulent berries which are green but turn red when ripe. They are 0.6 cm across. The have persistent sepals at their crown. The ripe fruit are edible. There is one seed inside. It is 4-5 mm across.

Edible Uses

The ripe fruit are eaten raw and are especially popular with children, though they are acidic. The leaves are used to make a tea-like drink. The seeds yield an edible oil.

Traditional Uses

The ripe fruit are eaten raw. They are acidic. The leaves are used for a tea like drink. The seeds yield an edible oil.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

The juice from the macerated leaves is used in the treatment of fevers The pulverized bark is rubbed on the body in the treatment of smallpox. The leaves and bark are used in local medicine to treat septic poisoning and itch.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows in rainforests along river banks and the edges of freshwater swamps. It will grow on a range of soils. It can grow on salty soils or in areas with salt spray. In Indonesia it grows to 1,800 m altitude. In Madagascar it grows up to 1,500 m altitude. In XTBG Yunnan. In Townsville Anderson BG.

Where It Grows

Andamans, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, East Africa, East Timor, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Philippines, SE Asia, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam,

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from seed. The seed should be sown fresh.

Propagation

Seed - of limited viability, it is best sown as soon as it is ripe. Sown fresh, 45 - 100% of the seed can be expected to germinate within 4 - 15 weeks. Seedlings may be kept in the nursery for 2 years before being planted out in the field. Techniques for rapid multiplication by terminal branch cuttings have been developed in India; they include treatments with a fungicide and growth hormones.

Other Uses

The heartwood is yellowish brown to reddish brown; it is indistinctly to moderately distinctly demarcated from the paler sapwood. The grain is straight, interlocked or slightly wavy, texture coarse and uneven. The wood is of medium weight; strong; durable under cover, but durability in contact with the ground or when exposed to the weather is moderate to poor; it is prone to termite and marine borer attack. Easy to saw and plane, the beautifully marbled wood takes a fine polish and is suitable for general construction, house building, posts, cabinet work, furniture, parquet flooring, railway sleepers, musical instruments, tool handles, picture frames, veneer, interior finish and panelling, pallets and packing material. Due to its high energy value the wood yields good-quality fuel wood and charcoal. Plants growing in China have been found to be quite resistant to heavily polluted environments. This makes the plant a good candidate for use in reforestation and reclamation schemes on degraded and heavily polluted land.

Production

It is moderately fast growing. In northern Australia it fruits June to October. (April to July). In NE Thailand fruit are available June to August.

Other Information

It is not known if it is used as a food in Papua New Guinea. The fruit are especially eaten by children.

Notes

There are about 15 Carallia species.

Nutrition

Part	Moisture	kJ	kcal	Protein	Vit A	Vit C	Iron	Zinc
Fruit	77.2	395	94	2.2	—	4	—	—
Leaves - tea	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Seeds - oil	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

Synonyms

Carallia integerrima DC.Carallia lucida Roxb.and several others

Also Known As

Andipunaru, Anwirdu, Bibis, Cork Tree, Daini jam, Ganding, Hpun, Kanthekera, Karalli, Kathal boula, Kesinga, Kieng pra, Kierpa, Lotkao, Mahithekera, Maniawga, Maniawya, Matan, Merpoi, Merpuing, Muyu, Panasi, Pohon bilabong, Pohon buah kanis, Punschi, Roskao, Sepat, Sohkhwe, Theiria, Theng vothung, Tromeng, Varanga, Yat

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