Botany
A good-sized forest tree reaching a height of 20 meters. Leaves are alternatingly crowded along the relatively thick twigs, with elliptic leaflets 20 to 25 cm in length. Flowers are almost 2 cm long, tubular, borne on elongated panicles. Fruit is solitary or loosely clustered, brown and subscurfy, pear-shaped, about 8 cm in diameter, growing upon long stout stalks. Nut averages 3 cm in length and 2.5 cm in diameter.

Distribution
In primary forests at low and medium altitudes from Cagayan to Albay Provinces in Luzon; in Catanduanes, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao.

Constituents
Nut contains a considerable percentage of nondrying oil.
The nut's hard shell constitutes about 60 per cent of the total weight of the seed. The balukanag oil is 35.56 per cent of the dried kernel.

Properties
Balukanag oil is nondrying with a rancid smell and slightly bitter.
Oil is purgative, but not as powerful as castor oil.

Parts used and preparation
Seed oil.

Uses
Folkloric
Oil is purgative; also, used externally for rheumatism and inflammations due to edema.
Internally, oil is used for gastralgia and cholera.
Others
The oil is used for soap making and illumination.
Oil from kernel used in hair cosmetic products.
Used for soap-making.

Availability
Wild-crafted.