Barringtonia asiatica
Barringtonia asiatica | |
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Flower and leaf, Bangladesh | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Ericales |
Family: | Lecythidaceae |
Genus: | Barringtonia |
Species: | B. asiatica
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Binomial name | |
Barringtonia asiatica | |
Synonyms[3] | |
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Barringtonia asiatica (fish poison tree,
Description
It is a small to medium-sized tree growing to 7–25 m tall. The leaves are narrow obovate, 20–40 cm in length and 10–20 cm in width. Fruit produced as mentioned earlier, is otherwise aptly known as the Box Fruit, due to distinct square like diagonals jutting out from the cross section of the fruit, given its semi spherical shape form from stem altering to a subpyramidal shape at its base. The fruit measures 9–11 cm in diameter, where a thick spongy fibrous layer covers the 4–5 cm diameter seed.[4][11]
Ecology
The fruit is dispersed in the same way as a coconut – by ocean current – and is extremely water-resistant and buoyant.[12] It can survive afloat for up to fifteen years;[6] it was one of the first plants to colonise Anak Krakatau when this island first appeared after the Krakatau eruption.[4] When washed ashore, and soaked by rainwater, the seeds germinate.
Human use
All parts of the tree are poisonous, the active poisons including saponins. Box fruits are potent enough to be used as a fish poison. The seeds are ground to a powder and used to stun or kill fish for easy capture,[4] suffocating the fish while the flesh is unaffected.[13]
Gallery
References
- . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- Saint Louis, Missouri: Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
- ^ "Barringtonia asiatica (L.) Kurz". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 23 Mar 2016 – via The Plant List. Note that this website has been superseded by World Flora Online
- ^ a b c d e f g Ria Tan (2001). "Sea Poison Tree". Mangrove and wetland wildlife at Sungei Buloh Nature Park. Singapore. Archived from the original on December 2, 2011. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
- ^ a b "Barringtonia asiatica". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
- ^ S2CID 55427985. Archived from the original(PDF) on 2011-07-24. Accessed 2009-05-31.
- ^ Smith, S. Percy. "Futuna, or Horne Island, and Its People". The Journal of the Polynesian Society, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 33 – 52. 1892
- ^ Mammea asiatica L. (the basionym to Barringtonia asiatica) was originally described and published in Species Plantarum 1: 512–513. 1753. "Name - Mammea asiatica L." Tropicos. Saint Louis, Missouri: Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
- ^ "Barringtonia asiatica". Australian Plant Name Index, IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
- ^ Kurz, W.S. (1875). Appendix A: List of Burmese forest trees. Preliminary report on the forest and other vegetation of Pegu. p. 52.
- ^ Flora of China: Barringtonia asiatica
- ^ Tsou, C-H., and Mori, S.A. "Seed coat anatomy and its relationship to seed dispersal in subfamily Lecythidoideae of the Lecythidaceae (The Brazil Nut Family)." Botanical Bulletin of Academia Sinica. Vol. 43, 37-56. 2002. Accessed 2009-05-31.
- ^ Thaman, R.R. "Receptors Batiri kei Baravi: The ethnobotany of the Pacific island coastal plants Archived September 19, 2009, at the Wayback Machine." Atoll Research Bulletin. Vol. 361, 1-62. May, 1992. Accessed 2009-05-31.