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Nephelium ramboutan-ake (Labill.) Leenh.
| Family Name: | Sapindaceae |
| Synonyms: | Litchi ramboutan-ake Labill., Nephelium mutabile Blume |
| Common Name: | Pulasan, 黑毛丹, 野红毛丹 |
Nephelium ramboutan-ake is a tree, usually less than 10 m tall. Found in rainforests, the fruit ripens purple-red and is covered with coarse spine. The seed is surrounded with a white and sweet-tasting sarcostesta.
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Tree |
| Lifespan (in Singapore) | Perennial |
| Mode of Nutrition | Autotrophic |
| Maximum Height | 36 m |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | From Assam, Myanmar to parts of Malesia. |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
| Local Conservation Status | Cryptogenic |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | It is a tree, usually less than 10 m tall, but can sometimes reach up to 36 m tall in its habitat. The trunk can reach up to 60 cm diameter and the buttress can reach up to 2.4 m tall. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Leaves are compound, paripinnate and spirally arranged. The leaf stalk (petiole) is 0.7 – 11.5 cm long. Each leaf comprises of 1 – 7 leaflets. They are elliptic (4 – 20 cm long and 1.7 – 11 cm wide) and thinly leathery to thinly papery. Both the leaflet base and tip are variable. The base can be blunt, rounded or narrow (attenuate) while leaflet tip can be short, broad to obtuse. The upper surface of the leaflet can be glabrous or presence of short hairs (puberulous) on the midrib. The underside can be glabrous or covered with minutely silky hairs. The domatia are usually present and can be scarce or absent. |
| Flowers | Inflorescence occur as a long spike (thyrsoid) at the axillary or partly together pseudo terminal position. The inflorescence comprises of many small light green flowers. The flowers are fragrant and they have no petals and 5 – 8 stamens each. |
| Fruit | The fruit is ellipsoid to subglobular (4 – 6.5 cm long and 2.5 – 5 cm wide) and covered with coarse spine which can reach up to 1.5 cm high. The spines are bulbous-based and often merging at the base or sometimes knobby with short tongue-shaped appendages. It is fleshy and turns purple-red when ripe. The seed is surrounded with a thick, white and sweet-tasting sarcostesta. |
| Habitat | It is found in rainforests, along rivers, streams and on slopes, up to 300 m (-1950 m) altitude. It can also be found (rarely) in swamps. |
| Associated Fauna | Flowers are pollinated by insects. The fruit are eaten mainly by primates, such as the banded leaf monkey, long-tailed and pig-tailed macaques, and squirrels. Fruits are likely dispersed by primates while squirrels are usually seed predators. |
| Cultivation | It can be propagated by seed, grafting and marcotting. |
| Etymology | Genus epithet 'Nephelium', in Greek, means a little cloud, which refers to the fruit. The specific epithet is named after a local Malesian name, rambutan ake. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Edible Plant Parts : Edible Fruits Food (Fruit or Vegetable): The white juicy sarcotesta of the fruit is edible and sweet-tasting. It can be is eaten fresh or canned in syrup. Others: The seed oil is also used as an illuminant. |
Landscaping Features
| Desirable Plant Features | Fragrant |
|---|---|
| Landscape Uses | Parks & Gardens |
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 |
| Propagation Method | Seed, Grafting, Marcotting, Air-Layering |
| Planting Distance | 8 m to 10 m |
Foliar
| Foliage Retention | Evergreen |
|---|---|
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
| Mature Foliage Texture(s) | Leathery, Papery |
| Foliar Type | Compound |
| Foliar Arrangement Along Stem | Spiral |
| Foliar Attachment to Stem | Petiolate |
| Foliar Shape(s) | |
| Foliar Margin | Entire - Wavy / Undulate |
| Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio | 3.0 (Tree - Intermediate Canopy) |
Non - Foliar and Storage
| Trunk Type (Non Palm) | Woody |
|---|---|
| Root Type | Underground |
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower Colour(s) | Green |
|---|---|
| Flower Grouping | Cluster / Inflorescence |
| Flower Location | Axillary |
| Inflorescence Type | Thryse |
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Mature Fruit Colour(s) | Red, Purple |
|---|---|
| Fruit Classification | Simple Fruit |
| Fruit Type | Fleshy Fruit |
| Seed Quantity Per Fruit | Few (1-5) |
References
| References | Adema, F., Leenhouts, P.W. & van Welzen, P.C. (1994). Sapindaceae. In: Kalkman, C. et al (eds) Flora Malesiana, ser. 1, vol. 11 (3), pp. 419–768. Leiden: Rijksherbarium/Hortus Botanicus, Leiden University Leehouts, P.W. 1986. A revision of Nephelium (Sapindaceae). Blumea 31 (2): 373 – 436 Lim, T.K. (2013). Edible Medicinal and Non-Medicinal Plants, Vol. 6, Fruits. Dordrecht: Springer van Welzen, P.C. (2017). Sapindaceae. In: Kiew, R. et al (eds) Flora of Peninsular Malaysia Series II: Seed Plants vol. 6, pp. 63–191. Kuala Lumpur: Forest Research Institute Malaysia |
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Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 1750 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 3043 |
| 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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