Rhodamnia cinerea
Jack
Silverback tree, Mempoyan tree
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(c) Rafidah Abdul Rahman, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Summary
Source: WikipediaRhodamnia cinerea is a rainforest tree of Southeast Asia, in the family Myrtaceae. It is a small tree that grows up to 15 m. In Sundanese, this tree is called "ki beusi". The name 'Silverback' was given due to the silvery underside of the leaves for individuals growing in open country. The leaves (2–7 cm) are simple, opposite, oblong, with three main longitudinal veins. The clustered flowers are small, white and fragrant, reddish at the centre. The fruits are berries that turn from green to red then black when mature. Each has 3–8 seeds.
Description
A tree. It grows 37 m tall. The trunk can be 50 cm across. The leaves are opposite and simple. They are hairy and white underneath. The flowers are 8 mm across. They are white to yellow. They are in the axils of the leaves. The fruit are 7 mm across. They are pink to red.
Edible Uses
The fruit are eaten.
Distribution
It is a tropical plant. It grows in coastal and mixed forests up to 1,700 m above sea level. It can be on poor sandy soils.
Where It Grows
Asia, Cambodia, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, SE Asia, Thailand,
Cultivation
Plants can be grown from seeds.
Synonyms
Also Known As
Pohon andong, Pohon mempoyan, Siri-siri, Talinga basing
References (5)
- Hanum, F. I., 1999, Plant Diversity and Conservation Value of Ayer Hitam Forest, Selangor, Peninsula Malaysia. Pertanika J. Trop. Agric. Sci. 22(2):73-83
- Milow, P., et al, 2013, Malaysian species of plants with edible fruits or seeds and their evaluation. International Journal of Fruit Science. 14:1, 1-27
- Slik, F., www.asianplant.net
- Sukarya, D. G., (Ed.) 2013, 3,500 Plant Species of the Botanic Gardens of Indonesia. LIPI p 490
- World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
