Cook Islands Biodiversity & Natural Heritage
 

Barringtonia asiatica

‘Utu

Barringtonia

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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.

Enlarged Image of 'Barringtonia asiatica'

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

Key to Symbols

Scientific Taxonomy

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

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

More Information

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 & References

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

Web Resources

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2007) Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at http://cookislands.bishopmuseum.org. Copy citation to system clipboard
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