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Aleurites moluccanus

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Aleurites moluccanus (L.) Willd.

Family Name: Euphorbiaceae
Synonyms: Aleurites triloba, Corton moluccanus
Common Name: Candle Nut, Buah Keras, Candle Nut Tree, Indian Walnut, Keras, Kemiri, Kembiri, Lumbang Tree, Kukui (Hawaiian), 烛果树, 石栗

Name

Family Name
Genus Epithet
Species Epithet
Name Authority
Name Status (botanical)
Synonyms
Common Names
Comments

Classifications and Characteristics

Plant Division Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants)
Plant Growth Form Tree
Mode of Nutrition Autotrophic

Biogeography

Native Distribution China, Taiwan, India, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands
Native Habitat Terrestrial
Preferred Climate Zone Tropical
Local Conservation Status Non-native (Spontaneous (Casual))

Description and Ethnobotany

Growth Form Tree with large and wide-spreading crown, able to grow up to about 20 m tall.
Trunk Bark is fairly smooth and greyish-brown, girth size about 9 - 15 m wide.
Foliage Green leaves, simple and alternate arrangement, entire and wavy margins, usually 3 to 5-lobed, younger leaves tend to be palmately divided, older leaves more ovate in shape. Leaf blade measuring about 10 - 20 cm long, presence of 2 glands at the junction of the leaf base. 
Flowers Separate male and female flowers on the same tree, greenish-white and fragrant, borne on a terminal panicle inflorescence about 10 - 15 cm long, arrangement of the small male flowers surrounding the female flower.
Fruit Fruit is a green to brownish indehiscent globose drupe, measuring about 5 - 6 cm long and 5 - 7 cm wide, contains 1 - 2 hard-shelled black seeds.  
Others - Plant Morphology In 1959, this tree was made the official tree of the State of Hawaii because of its many uses to the ancient Hawaiians and how its ornamental form enhances their beloved mountains.
Etymology Genus Aleurites is from the Greek word "aleuron" which means "floury". Species moluccana means from Maluku, Indonesia. The common name "Candle Nut" is from the practice by the Hawaiians of using the nuts (kernels) for lighting houses.
Ethnobotanical Uses Food (Herb or Spice): In Indonesian and Malaysian cuisine, the nut is often used in cooking. 
Medicinal: In Japan, the bark is used to treat tumors. In Java, the bark is also used to treat bloody diarrhea and dysentery. In the Malaya region, the pulped kernel is used in poultices for fevers, ulcers, headaches and swollen joints.
Timber & Products: The oil extracted from the seeds can be used as a substitute for diesel and also as a wood preservative.

Landscaping Features

Desirable Plant Features Ornamental Flowers
Landscape Uses Parks & Gardens

Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal

Fauna Pollination Dispersal Associated Fauna Bird-Attracting
Pollination Method(s) Biotic (Fauna)
Seed or Spore Dispersal Biotic (Fauna)

Plant Care and Propagation

Light Preference Full Sun
Water Preference Moderate Water
Plant Growth Rate Moderate
Rootzone Tolerance Moist Soils, Well-Drained Soils
Propagation Method Seed

Foliar

Mature Foliage Colour(s) Green
Foliar Type Simple / Unifoliate
Foliar Arrangement Along Stem Alternate
Foliar Apex - Tip Acuminate
Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio 4.0 (Tree - Dense Canopy)

Floral (Angiosperm)

Flower Colour(s) White
Flower Grouping Cluster / Inflorescence
Flower Location Terminal
Inflorescence Type Panicle

Fruit, Seed and Spore

Mature Fruit Colour(s) Brown, Green
Seed Quantity Per Fruit Few (1-5)

Image Repository

Images

Others

Master ID 1409
Species ID 2702
Flora Disclaimer The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes.
Species record last updated on: 10 August 2022.
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