Dillenia philippinensis

Dillenia philippinensis (katmon) is a species of flowering plant in the family Dillenaceae. It is endemic to the Philippines and can be used for urban greening. Its fruit is known as elephant apple. Katmon grows in low to medium altitude forests throughout the Philippines, but does not survive the cold climates of the uplands. Katmon is featured on the reverse side of the Philippine twenty-five centavo coin since 2018 as part of the New Generation Currency Coin Series.

Description

A medium sized shrubby tree. It grows 12 m high. The trunk can be 30 cm across. The bark is reddish. The leaves are leathery, shiny, oval and coarsely toothed. They are 10-20 cm long by 7-12 cm wide. The flowers are large showy and 15-18 cm across. The petals are white and the stamens purple. The fruit are round and enclosed by fleshy sepals. The fruit are 5 to 6 cm across with soft pulp. The fleshy sepals of the fruit are edible.

Edible Uses

The fleshy sepals of the fruit are edible and eaten raw. They are sour and can be used for flavouring fish dishes, jellies, preserves, curries, and drinks.

Traditional Uses

The fruit (fleshy sepals) are eaten raw and also used for flavouring fish dishes. They can be used in jellies, preserves, curries and drinks. They are sour.

Medicinal Uses

The fruit, called "elephant apple", has a diameter that is around five to six centimeters. It contains a soft, fleshy, green, and edible pulp with a flavor similar to a sour green apple. It is used to make sauces, jams, and flavoring for fish. The fruit's acid is mixed with sugar to make a traditional cure for cough. It is also used to clean the hair. The tree is harvested for its timber as it is suitable for furniture and cabinet making. The wood has a beautiful silver grain similar to a quartered oak. A red dye can also be obtained from the bark.

Distribution

A tropical plant. Very common and widely distributed in the islands of the Philippines at low and medium altitudes. In Brisbane Botanical gardens.

Where It Grows

Asia, Australia, Cuba, Hawaii, Indonesia, Pacific, Philippines*, SE Asia, Singapore, USA, West Indies,

Cultivation

Plants can be grown by seeds or cuttings.

Other Uses

A red dye is obtained from the bark. The fruit pulp is used as a hair shampoo. A useful timber. We do not have any more specific information on this species, but the following is a general description of the wood in this genus:- Excepting for a wide range of colour, from light brick red to very dark reddish brown, the wood of all the Philippine species of Dillenia is practically identical in general appearance as well as in structure, and is known in the Philippine market as catmon. The heartwood is light brick red to dark reddish brown; it is not sharply demarcated from the pale red sapwood. The texture is rather coarse in appearance; the grain sometimes fairly straight, but generally very curly and twisted, hence difficult to split; somewhat lustrous; without distinctive odour or taste. The wood is hard; heavy, somewhat durable and is not attacked by beetles. It seasons well, checking and warping very little. It is difficult to saw, the very fine sawdust tends to clog the saw, but is otherwise fairly easy to work. It can be used for posts above stumps; beams, joists, rafters; flooring; sheathing and ceiling; furniture and cabinetwork; musical instruments; paving blocks and mine timbers (impregnated). A wood that, on account of its unusual flake grain, should be much more used for cabinetwork and would make a most beautiful veneer.

Notes

There are about 60 Dillenia species.

Nutrition

Synonyms

Also Known As

Kagemgem, Kusikus, Palali, Pohon sempur filipina, Ukkapon, Uppakon

References (20)

• Barcelo, R., 2015, Phytochemical Screening and Antioxidant Activity of Edible Wild Fruits in Benguet, Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines. Electronic Journal of Biology, 2015, Vol.11(3): 80-89
• Barwick, M., 2004, Tropical and Subtropical Trees. A Worldwide Encyclopedic Guide. Thames and Hudson p 145
• Brown, W.H., 1920, Wild Food Plants of the Philippines. Bureau of Forestry Bulletin No. 21 Manila. p 116
• Carig, Elizabeth T., 2020, Guidebook on Native Trees within the Quirino Forest Landscape. Plaridel, Bulacan, St. Andrew Publishing House. p 75
• Chua-Barcelo, R. T., 2014, Ethnobotanical survey of edible wild fruits in Benguet, Cordillera administrative region, the Philippines. Asian Pac. J. Trop. Biomed. 4(Suppl. 1):S525-S538

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