Atuna racemosa

Atuna racemosa
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Chrysobalanaceae
Genus: Atuna
Species: A. racemosa
Binomial name
Atuna racemosa
Raf.[1]
Subspecies

A. racemosa subsp. excelsa A. racemosa subsp. racemosa

Synonyms[1]

Atuna racemosa is a tree in the family Chrysobalanaceae. The specific epithet racemosa is from the Latin meaning "clustered", referring to the inflorescence.[2]

Description

Atuna racemosa grows up to 35 metres (110 ft) tall. The smooth bark is grey to black. The flowers are blue or white. The fruits are ellipsoid, roundish or pear-shaped and measure up to 7.5 cm (3 in) long.[2]

Distribution and habitat

Atuna racemosa is found widely in Thailand, Malesia and the South Pacific islands of Oceania. Its habitat is mixed dipterocarp forests, also in swamps and along rivers, from sea-level to 750 metres (2,500 ft) altitude.[2]

Uses

The fruit is made into a putty for sealing canoes in the Pacific islands. Oil from the seeds is used as a scent. Leaves are used as thatch in Fiji.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 "Atuna racemosa Raf.". The Plant List. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Prance, Ghillean T. (1995). "Atuna racemosa Raf." (PDF). In Soepadmo, E.; Wong, K. M. Tree Flora of Sabah and Sarawak. (free online from the publisher, lesser resolution scan PDF versions). 1. Forest Research Institute Malaysia. pp. 160–161. ISBN 983-9592-34-3. Retrieved 1 June 2014.


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