Xerospermum noronhianum (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Xerospermum noronhianum (Blume) Blume

Family: Sapindaceae

Synonyms

• Xerospermum intermedium Radlk.,
• Xerospermum wallichii King.
• Xerospermum muricatum Radlk.

Vernacular names

• Indonesia: rambutan pacet (Malay), burundul, corogol monyet tjorogol monjet (Sundanese)
• Malaysia: geresek hitam, gigi buntal, rambutan pachet (Peninsular), balong ayam, kata keran
• Burma (Myanmar): taung-kyetmauk.
• Laos: kho lên, ngèo
• Thailand: kho laen (eastern), kho hia (south-eastern), laen ban (peninsular).

Distribution

Bangladesh, India (Assam), Burma, Thailand, Indo-China, Malaysia, Indonesia (Java, Kalimantan, Sumatra).

Uses

The sarcotesta around the seeds is edible, sweet and of good flavour. The fruits and leaves are used to alleviate stomachache. The wood is hard and durable, light brown, used in building.

Observations

• Tree, up to 25 m tall and 30 cm trunk diameter.
• Leaves paripinnate, 2-jugate.
• Flowers 4-merous.
• Fruit a subglobose to ellipsoid capsule, 2-5 cm × 1-5 cm, red to dark brown, aculeate, tuberculate, colliculate or granulate.

Very variable species. In many kinds of forests and soils, usually up to 300 m altitude, seldom up to 1500 m. Often very common in continental South-East Asia.

Selected sources

• Burkill, I.H., 1966. A dictionary of the economic products of the Malay Peninsula. 2nd ed. 2 Volumes. Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 2444 pp.

• Heyne, K., 1927. De nuttige planten van Nederlandsch Indië [The useful plants of the Dutch East Indies]. 2nd ed. 3 Volumes. Departement van Landbouw, Nijverheid en Handel in Nederlandsch Indië. 1953 pp.

• Leenhouts, P.W., 1983. A taxonomic revision of Xerospermum (Sapindaceae). Blumea 28: 389-401.

Authors

P.C.M. Jansen, J. Jukema, L.P.A. Oyen, T.G. van Lingen