Baccaurea motleyana is a species of fruit tree in the family Phyllanthaceae. It is native to Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo. It is cultivated for its fruit in India and Bangladesh.
Description
This is a tree generally growing to in height with a short trunk and a broad crown.
The evergreen leaves are shiny green on the upper surface and greenish-brown and hairy underneath. Each leaf is up to long and wide.
The species is dioecious, with male and female flowers growing on separate individuals. Both types of flowers are fragrant and have yellow sepals. The staminate racemes are up to long and the pistillate inflorescences may reach in length. The fruits are each long and about two wide and grow in strands.
Each fruit has velvety pinkish, yellow, or brown skin which wrinkles at ripening and is filled with whitish pulp containing 3 to 5 seeds. The pulp is sweet to acid in taste. They may be eaten raw or cooked or made into jam or wine.
Taxonomy Baccaurea motleyana was initially described as Pierardia motleyana by Swiss botanist Johannes Müller Argoviensis in 1864. In 1866 he moved the species to the genus Baccaurea. The specific name honours the English botanist James Motley,Prodr. (DC) 15.2 p.461 (1866) who collected it in southeast Borneo.
Uses The tree is also used for shade and low-quality wood.
Gallery
References
External links
Purdue New Crops Profile FAO Ecocrops Profile Baccaurea motleyana