INDIAN LAUREL

CALOPHYLLUM INOPHYLLUM

Pasir Ris Carpark B Pasir Ris Aloha Loyang

Calophyllum inophyllum is a large evergreen. It is native from East Africa, southern coastal India to Malesia and Australia. Also called Indian Laurel, Borneo Mahogany, Laurel Wood, Penaga Laut, Alexandrian Laurel, Beauty Leaf,

In Sanskrit this tree is known as punnaga. In Tamil it is known as pinnai and is often found on coastal Tamil Nadu. In Malayalam, the tree is called as "Punnagam" or "Punna" and the fruit is called as Punnakka. Bats are known to feed on the fruits. In the Maldives it is known as funa, a name derived from Sanskrit. Several of the Maldive Islands are named Funadhoo in reference to this tree.

In English this tree is also often called Ballnut or, confusingly, "Alexandrian Laurel" (it is not a laurel nor native to Alexandria and not to be confused with the small shrub Danae racemosa also known as Alexandrian laurel.

In Tahiti it is called ʻati or tamanu tree. Several species of the tree grow wild in the tropical climes in the Pacific. In Hawaiʻi, the tree and nuts are called kamani; in Fiji the name is dilo, while it is fetau in both Samoa and Niuē, and in Tonga it is fetaʻu or tamanu. In Vanuatu, the natives call the oil nambagura.

Nowadays it is widely cultivated in all tropical regions of the world, including several Pacific Islands. Because of its decorative leaves, fragrant flowers and spreading crown, it is best known as an ornamental plant.

This tree often grows in coastal regions as well as nearby lowland forests. However it has also been cultivated successfully in inland areas at moderate altitudes. It tolerates varied kinds of soil, coastal sand, clay or even degraded soil.

Singapore Locations: Marina South Promenade, Marina City Park, East Coast park, West Coast Park, Labrador Park, Pasir Ris Park,

NParks Floraweb:

Family: Clusiaceae (Guttiferae)

Common Name: Borneo Mahogany, Penaga Laut, Bodek Laut, Paku Achu, Indian Laurel, Alexandra Laurel, Bintangur Bunga, Laurel Wood, Beauty Leaf, Alexandrian Laurel, Nyamplung, Bintangor Laut, Penaga

Origin: East Africa to Polynesia

Leaf Colour: Green

Flower Colour: White

Description

Form

It is a low-branching, slow-growing, long-lived medium size tree with a latge, bushy, broad, dense, dark green and irregular crown. It usually reaches 8 to 20 metres (26 to 66 ft) in height.

Leaves

The leaves are simple, large, glossy, thick, and leathery. They are broadly elliptic to obovate and are between 10 – 15 cm long and 5 – 7 cm wide. The leaf apex is blunt and often notched and lateral leaf veins are prominent, numerous and parallel. When the leaves are picked, a yellowish sap is seen.

Flowers

The flowers are white, about 25 millimetres (0.98 in) wide with a yellow center and occurs in small bunches, racemose or paniculate inflorescences consisting of 4 to 15 flowers. They have a sweet fragrance and are pollinated by insects. They open in the middle of the night and lasts for only a short while, usually withering by the next day. Flowering can occur year-round, but usually two distinct flowering periods are observed, in late spring, April - June and in late autumn, October – December. It takes many years for it to flower.

Fruit

The fruit is a round, smooth, green drupe reaching 2 to 4 centimetres (0.79 to 1.6 in) in diameter and having a single large seed. When ripe, the fruit is wrinkled and its color varies from yellow to brownish-red. The seed is slightly poisonous.

Trunk

The trunk is short, with several large branches. The bark is dark, greyish brown to black in colour and deeply fissured and cracked. The wood is hard, heavy and reddish in colour.

FLOWERING TIMINGS

J F M A M J J A S O N DLeavesFlowersFruits X X X X X X

Uses

It is a popular ornamental plant, especially useful for coastal areas, as it is tolerant of salt.

Its wood is hard and strong and has been used in heavy construction, railway sleepers and boatbuilding. Traditional Pacific Islanders used Calophyllum wood to construct the keel of their canoes while the boat sides were made from breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) wood.

All parts of the tree are used in native medicine to treat skin diseases, leprosy, piles, scabies, chickenpox, etc.

The seeds yield a thick, dark green oil for medicinal use or hair grease, prized by the Polynesians as a natural moisturiser. This oil is also called Tamanu oil is now increasingly used in cosmetics and can also be used in cosmetics, painting or fuel for burners and lamp.

Active ingredients in the oil are believed to regenerate tissue, so is sought after by cosmetics manufacturers as an ingredient in skin cremes. The nuts should be well dried before cracking, after which the oil-laden kernel should be further dried. The first neoflavone isolated in 1951 from natural sources was calophyllolide from Calophyllum inophyllum seeds.

The fatty acid methyl ester of Calophyllum inophyllum seed oil meets all of the major biodiesel requirements in the United States (ASTM D 6751-02, ASTM PS 121-99), Germany (DIN V 51606) and European Union (EN 14214). The average oil yield is 11.7 kg-oil/tree or 4680 kg-oil/hectare

The tree is regarded as sacred in some Pacific islands because of its excellent growth in sandy soil as shade tree and many uses.

Growing from Seeds

1. Collect fruits from below tree

2. Soak fruits in water for 5 - 7 days, change water daily.

3. Remove the outer skin, when soft, and discard

4. Fill bottom of pot with LECA

5. Fill with potting mix

6. Arrange seeds on the top, pointed tip on top

7. Cover with thin layer of potting mix, followed by gravel

8. Water with sprayer daily. Seeds will germinate after 3 months.

9. Add diluted liquid fertilizer once a month

10. Can last for 2 to 3 years