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Canarium littorale Blume

Family Name:	Burseraceae
Synonyms:	Rhus melintangensis Korth. ex Blume, Canarium acutum Engl.
Common Name:	Kedondong Bulan

Canarium littorale or Kedondong Bulan is a tall tree that grows to 44 m tall. Kedondong Bulan produce compound leaves, oval to broadly lance-shaped leaflets with smooth to sharply toothed margins. It has greenish yellow flowers and spindle-shaped fruit, each containing 1 - 2 seeds.

Full Sun

Lots of Water

Moderate Water

Native to Singapore

Suitable for Roadsides

Tree

Name

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

Classifications and Characteristics

Plant Division	Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon)
Plant Growth Form	Tree (Big (>30m))
Lifespan (in Singapore)	Perennial

Maximum Height

44 m

Biogeography

Native Distribution	Borneo, Jawa, Laos, Malaya, Myanmar, Sumatera, Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore
Native Habitat	Terrestrial (Primary Rainforest, Mountain, Secondary Rainforest, Freshwater Swamp Forest)
Preferred Climate Zone	Tropical, Sub-Tropical / Monsoonal

Local Conservation Status

Native to Singapore (Endangered (EN))

Description and Ethnobotany

Growth Form	It is a tree that grows to 44 m tall, sometimes buttressed.
Foliage	Its leaves are compound, stalked, spirally arranged. The oval to broadly lance-shaped leaflets are 3 - 27 cm long and 1 - 9 cm wide. It has smooth to sharply toothed leaf margin, veins are distinctly visible on the underside. Stipules found near the base of the petiole are kidney-shaped, usually hairy about 17 by 12 mm, may fall off early.
Flowers	Its flowers are greenish yellow, covered in short fuzzy hairs. The flowering shoots are unisexual, produced at the tip of branches measuring 5 - 40 cm long. Female flowers are held on subracemose inflorescence while male flowers are on a paniculate inflorescence.

Fruit	Its fruit is spindle-shaped, fleshy, with elliptic to rounded triangular cross-section. The fruit measures at 4.5 - 7 cm long by 1.5 - 3 cm wide, contains 1 - 2 seeds.
Habitat	Occurs in rainforest on dry or swampy soils, under everwet or subseasonal conditions. Mostly at low altitudes, rarely up to 2000m.
Cultivation	It can be propagated by seed.
Etymology	Latin Canarium, from the Malay name kanari and the Moluccan name kenari; Latin, littorale, growing by the seashore, referring to one of the habitats this species thrives in.
Ethnobotanical Uses	Timber & Products: The wood is soft, often used as timber to build houses. The resin produced is used as damar or varnish.

Landscaping Features

Landscaping	It is suitable for streetscapes, parks and gardens.
Landscape Uses	General, Suitable for Roadsides, Parks & Gardens

Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal

Pollination Method(s)	Biotic (Fauna)
Seed or Spore Dispersal	Biotic (Fauna)

Plant Care and Propagation

Light Preference	Full Sun
Water Preference	Lots of Water, Moderate Water
Plant Growth Rate	Slow

Rootzone Tolerance	Moist Soils, Fertile Loamy Soils
Propagation Method	Seed

Foliar

Foliage Retention	Evergreen
Mature Foliage Colour(s)	Green
Mature Foliage Texture(s)	Papery, Leathery

Foliar Type	Compound (Odd-Pinnate)
Foliar Arrangement Along Stem	Spiral
Foliar Attachment to Stem	Petiolate
Foliar Shape(s)	Non-Palm Foliage (Oblanceolate, Ovate)
Foliar Venation	Recticulate
Foliar Margin	Entire, Dentate, Serrate / Toothed
Foliar Apex - Tip	Acuminate, Acute
Foliar Base	Cuneate, Cordate

Non - Foliar and Storage

Stem Type & Modification	Woody
Root Type	Underground (Tap Root)

Floral (Angiosperm)

Flower & Plant Sexuality	Unisexual Flowers , Monoecious
Flower Colour(s)	Green, Yellow / Golden

Flower Texture(s)	Velvety / Furry / Tomentose
Flower Grouping	Cluster / Inflorescence
Flower Location	Terminal
Inflorescence Type	Panicle, Raceme

Fruit, Seed and Spore

Fruit Classification	Simple Fruit
Fruit Type	Fleshy Fruit , Drupe
Seed Quantity Per Fruit	Few (1-5)

References

References	Leenhouts, P.W., Kalkman, C & Lam, H.J. (1956). Burseraceae. Flora Malesiana, ser. 1 Seed Plants, vol. 5. Leiden: Naturalis Biodiversity Center.

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Master ID	29466
Species ID	3775
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.