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Barringtonia edulis

Family Name:	Lecythidaceae
Common Name:	Cutnut

Barringtonia edulis, also known as Cutnut, has charismatic pendulous inflorescence which can reach up to 1.8 m long. The seeds are eaten raw or cooked and taste like peanuts.

Full Sun

Moderate Water

Fruit or Vegetable

Coastal Plant

Ornamental Flowers

Tree

Name

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

Classifications and Characteristics

Plant Division	Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants)
Plant Growth Form	Tree
Lifespan (in Singapore)	Perennial

Mode of Nutrition	Autotrophic
Maximum Height	15 m

Biogeography

Native Distribution	Fiji
Native Habitat	Terrestrial
Preferred Climate Zone	Tropical

Local Conservation Status

Non-native

Description and Ethnobotany

Growth Form	Tree up to 15 m tall.
Foliage	Bright green, glossy leaves are obovate-oblong to oblanceolate (25-75 cm long, 8-30 cm wide). They are spirally arranged in a rosette-like cluster near the branch tips.
Flowers	Pink or cream flowers are spirally arranged on a racemose inflorescence that hangs down from the branch tips. Inflorescence can reach 65 - 180 cm long and each stalk consists of about 40 flowers.

Fruit	Green, purplish or red fruits are egg-shaped or elongated (4.5 - 9 cm long and 2 - 4.5 cm wide). Each fruit contains 1 seed which is distinctly fissured.
Habitat	It is found in forest, woodland and pasture, up to 400 m altitude.
Ethnobotanical Uses	Edible Plant Parts : Edible Seeds Food (Fruit or Vegetable): The seeds are eaten raw or cooked and taste like raw peanuts.

Landscaping Features

Desirable Plant Features	Ornamental Flowers
Landscape Uses	Parks & Gardens, Coastal

Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal

Pollination Method(s)	Biotic (Fauna)

Plant Care and Propagation

Light Preference	Full Sun
Water Preference	Moderate Water
Plant Growth Rate	Moderate

Rootzone Tolerance

Well-Drained Soils

Foliar

Mature Foliage Colour(s)	Green
Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio	3.0 (Tree - Intermediate Canopy)

Floral (Angiosperm)

Flower Colour(s)	White, Red

Image Repository

Images

Others

Master ID	1453
Species ID	2746
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.