Cathormion umbellatum

Description

A medium sized tree. It grows to 6-15 m high and spreads to 3-8 m wide. It has a fine lacy crown with small branches which droop over. The bark is dark brown, rough and furrowed. It becomes flaky. The trunk can be crooked or divided. It often has several stems. The young shoots are hairy. On young shoots from re-growing branches, there are spines. The leaves are twice divided. The leaves are 1.2-2.5 cm long then there are 1-2 pairs of branches with 4-7 pairs of leaflets each. These leaflets are 2.5-5 cm long by 1-2 cm wide. There are small round glands where the small leaf branches join. They are glossy light green on top and dull underneath. The flower cluster occurs at the end of the stalk in the axils of leaves and is erect and short. The flowers are about 1 cm long and yellow. They occur in round clusters where each flower stalk of the same length comes from the same point. The flowers have a perfume. The fruit are pods and these are 7-10-20 cm long by 1.5-2 cm wide. The pods are curved and thick and hard. They break into segments which have one seed each. The seeds are dark brown and 1.3 cm across. They are 2 mm thick.

Edible Uses

The young pods are eaten after roasting. The fruit and seeds are also consumed.

Traditional Uses

The young pods are eaten after roasting.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

A tropical plant. It occurs in coastal areas near streams. They do best with well drained soil and a sunny position. Often they are on the inner edge of the mangrove forest.

Where It Grows

Asia, Australia, East Timor, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, PNG, SE Asia, Timor-Leste, Vietnam,

Cultivation

Plants are grown from seed. The seed need treatment before sowing.

Production

Plants are moderately fast growing. In Northern Australia the pods are ripe July to October.

Notes

There are 15 Cathormion species. Also as Mimosaceae.

Synonyms

Also Known As

Keo chuoi, Tiem

References (18)

• Bull. Organ. Natuurw. Onderz. Indonesie 20:12. 1954
• Cherikoff V. & Isaacs, J., The Bush Food Handbook. How to gather, grow, process and cook Australian Wild Foods. Ti Tree Press, Australia p 198
• Cooper, W. and Cooper, W., 2004, Fruits of the Australian Tropical Rainforest. Nokomis Editions, Victoria, Australia. p 311
• Cowie, I, 2006, A Survey of Flora and vegetation of the proposed Jaco-Tutuala-Lore National Park. Timor-Lests (East Timor) www.territorystories.nt/gov.au p 50
• Cribb, A.B. & J.W., 1976, Wild Food in Australia, Fontana. p 74

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