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Cynometra cauliflora
| Family Name: | Fabaceae (Leguminosae) |
| Common Name: | Nam Nam, Katak Puru, Puki Anjing, Namu Namu |
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Growth Form | Tree |
|---|---|
| Mode of Nutrition | Autotrophic |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Peninsular Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | Small tree, able to grow up to about 3 - 15 m tall. |
|---|---|
| Trunk | Smooth bark |
| Foliage | Each leaf having a pair of ovate to ovate-oblong leaflets about 5.5 - 16.5 cm long and 1.6 - 5.6 cm wide, surface glabrous, leaf petiole about 2 - 8 mm long, leaflet petiolules very short. |
| Flowers | Small pinkish-white flowers borne on a cauliflorous inflorescence, 4 - 5 small racemes clustered together on hard knots on the trunk. |
| Fruit | Fruit is a brownish-green kidney-shaped fleshy pod containing 1 brown flattened seed. |
| Etymology | Genus Cynometra is from the Greek words "kynos" which means "a dog" and "metra" which means "womb" and they refer to the shape of the fruit pod. Species cauliflora means bearing flowers on the main stem. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Edible Plant Parts : Edible Fruits Medicinal: Oil extracted from the seeds is applied on leprosy and skin diseases. |
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Moderate |
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 |
|---|---|
| Flower Grouping | Solitary |
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Mature Fruit Colour(s) | Brown |
|---|
Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 1540 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 2833 |
| 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. |
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