Botany
The plant is a smooth tree, growing 5 to 15 meters high. Leaves are opposite, 30 to 40 cm long, pinnately compound with seven to nine leaflets. Leaflets are ovate to ovate-lanceolate or ovate-elliptic, 7 to 5 cm long, unequal at the base and pointed at the tip. Flowers are borne on short, terminal, few-flowered racemes. Calyx is 4 to 5 cm long, spathelike, and split down one side to the base. Corolla is white, with a rather slender, cylindrical tube 9 to 11 cm long, becoming funnel-shaped or bell-shaped above, 5 to 7 cm in diameter. Fruit is somewhat cylindrical or slightly compressed, 30 to 40 cm long, 2 to 2.5 cm thick, with numerous, rectangular, winged seeds.
Distribution
Along the seashore and tidal streams, from La Union to Palawan, Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago.
Parts
utilized
Bark, leaves, seeds.
Uses
Folkloric
• Post-partum: poutice of fresh leaves and bark is applied against flatulence to women after childbirth.
• Seeds are powdered, and taken for nervous complaints.
• In Java, leaves are used for making mouthwash for thrush.
• Also, has a reputation as abortifacient.
• In Palau, for yaws (frambesia), bark is squeezed together with young stem and flower stalk of Croton sp., and the sap is poured in heated coconut oil; when cooled, applied to affected part of the body.
Others
• Fish poison: The bark used as fish poison. Some reports that a decoction of bark in dogs have no ill effects.
Availability
Wild-crafted. |
