Cerbera floribunda
Content
Description
Tree to 40 m tall, mostly much smaller, to 60 cm dbh, mostly much less.
Bark grey to brown.
Leaves:
Inflorescence terminal, lax, 8-25 cm long, glabrous;
Sepals ovate to obovate, 4-14 by 2-8 mm, 1.5-3.5 times as long as wide, apex rounded to acuminate, spreading, mostly deciduous at corolla anthesis.
Stamens inserted at 5-10 mm from corolla base which is 0.4-0.6 of tube length;
Ovaries 1-1.5 mm high;
Fruit blue or purplish blue, each ellipsoid, 7.5-10.5 by 5-6.5 by 3-4 cm.
Distribution
Asia-Tropical: Maluku (Maluku present); New Guinea present, Solomon Islands present, Western Pacific Islands present
Western Pacific Islands, Solomon Islands; in Malesia: Moluccas, New Guinea.
Uses
The seeds contain an oil used externally for the treatment of skin ailments. The wood can be used for household items and packaging.
Citation
K. Schum. 1996 – In: Fl. Australia. p 140
K. Schum. 1998 – In: PROSEA. p 156
Markgr. 1926 – In: Nova Guinea. p 284
P.I. Forst. 1992 – In: Austrobaileya. p 570
Kessler et al. 2002 – In: Blumea. p 13
K. Schum. & Lauterb. 1901: Fl. Schutzgeb. Südsee. p 505
Leeuwenb. 1999 – In: Agric. Univ. Wageningen Pap. p 12