General Information

COMMON NAMES: Barringtonia, Barringtonia, Box-fruit Tree, Yum-yum Tree, Heart Tree; French Bonnet D'évèque TRADITIONAL NAMES: ‘Utu (RR MG AT MK MT AK PL MH RK), Hutu (TS TW), Wutu (PK); Other Polynesian - Futu (SAM) GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE Madagascar - Societies; n. to Asia & ne.Australia COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Native; Land, lowlands - mountains (+++) (mid-elev.) SIGNIFICANCE LIST: Medicine, Material (Former Fish Poison); Poisonous to eat raw seed - serious; Poisonous to fish KEY FEATURES: A large low-branching tree to 20m. LEAVES: terminal clusters; very large, green with pale veins; long-oval with broad, rounded tip; to 60x25cm[LxW]. FLOWERS: night blooming, falling early morning; terminal clusters; large, brush-like: long-stamens to 10cm (= 'brush bristles'), white tipped pink, small white petals. FRUIT: hanging; large, green; 4 (-5) sided (like an inverted pyramid). SIMILAR SPECIES: Edible Barringtonia (Barringtonia edulis) differs in having far smaller, oval, purplish fruit; diurnal flowers in hanging clusters; and very thin-oval leaves.

Cook Islands Distribution

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

Northern Group: Present
TN	MH	RK	PK	NS	SW
+IR	P	P	+	-	P

Barringtonia asiatica Linnaeus
SYNONYMS: Barringtonia speciosa; Barringtonia butonica; Mammea asiatica

TAXONOMY: PLANTAE; ANTHOPHYTA (=Angiospermae); MAGNOLIOPSIDA (=Dicotyledones); DILLENIIDAE; Lecythidales; LECYTHIDACEAE

SIGNIFICANCE NOTES -. Comment: NBSAP - Mangaia (4 of 4 wild)
POSITIVE SIGNIFICANCE: Medicine, Material (Former Fish Poison). Comments: In the recent past the seed of the ‘Utu was used to poison fish in the lagoon. Seeds were grated or pounded to release their juices and then scattered on the water. This practise is no longer observed following by-laws passed forbidding the use of poisons for fishing. A dressing for burns (and other ailments) called pakapaka is prepared from the seeds also. The wood is used for some boat parts and drums though it is reportedly of poor quality (Whistler 1990). Whistler notes the use of leaves as wound dressings as reported by Gill (1885). Timber is brittle, white and lasts poorly if exposed to the elements.
NEGATIVE SIGNIFICANCE: Poisonous to eat raw seed - serious; Poisonous to fish. Comments: Seed juice formerly used to kill fish.

Vouchers:
Pukapuka: fieldspecimen+photo, 2/2004, G.McCormack with ID as Barringtonia asiatica.

References:
p.622 Neal - In Gardens of Hawaii
p.139 Hortus 3rd
p.129 Royal Hort. Soc. Index of Garden Plants
p.536 Tropica
p.2/595 A.C.Smith - Flora Vitiensis Nova
p.280 I Cheeseman - Flora of Rarotonga
p.79 Wilder - Flora of Rarotonga
p.411b Whistler - Ethnobotany of the Cook Islands
p.17 McCormack/Kunzle - Rarotonga's Mountain Tracks and Plants

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zM02, zupM03a, zD02

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