General Information

COMMON NAMES: Myrobalan GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE India - Java COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Introduced - Recent, Not naturalised; Land, lowlands SIGNIFICANCE LIST: ; Poisonous? KEY FEATURES: A tree to 25m. LEAVES in terminal clusters; oval to almost-round, ± widest-towards-the-tip; stalk long, 5-8cm. FLOWERS 15cm spike of yellow-green saucer-like flowers; basal flowers bisexual, 6mmØ, without petals; toward tips are male flowers, without petals; strong, offensive sweet odour. FRUIT 4x3cm; inverted-pear-shaped, velvety grey-brown. SIMILAR SPECIES: Terminalia glabrata has very short leaf-stalks, small sweet-smelling flowers (similar to beeswax), and hairless fruit.

Cook Islands Distribution

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Southern Group: Present    Makatea: -
RR	MG	AT	MK	MT	AK	PL	TK	MN
+	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Northern Group: -
TN	MH	RK	PK	NS	SW
-	-	-	-	-	-

Terminalia bellirica Gaertner
TAXONOMY: PLANTAE; ANTHOPHYTA (=Angiospermae); MAGNOLIOPSIDA (=Dicotyledones); ROSIDAE; Myrtales; COMBRETACEAE

SIGNIFICANCE NOTES -
NEGATIVE SIGNIFICANCE: Poisonous?. Comments: Fruits are dangerous to eat due to the presence of narcotic compounds.

GENERAL NOTE: Unripe fruits are 'Myrobalan nuts' used in conjunction with fruits of another species to tan leather. Fruits are also used for medicine, ink and dye production.

Vouchers:
Rarotonga: large tree, Ngatipa Road, Avarua, Dec99, ID FS/GM, 2 trees listed as from India in Pua-Au Nursery 1915.

References:
p.628 Neal - In Gardens of Hawaii
p.1101 Hortus 3rd
p.1145 Royal Hort. Soc. Index of Garden Plants
p.3-419 A.C.Smith - Flora Vitiensis Nova

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zM04b, zD02

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