Edible Parts: Fruit  Oil
Edible Uses: Oil

The fruit can be eaten raw, preserved or pickled[301 ]. Yellow when ripe, they have a sweet flavour[301 ]. The pulp is starchy with a floury texture[200 , 299 ]. The fruit is insipid and/or astringent[299 , 307 ]. They are said to taste like dates but to be more dry[299 ]. The ovoid to oblong fruit is up to 35mm long and 16mm wide[200 ]. An oil is obtained from the seed[301 ]. Used for cooking[307 ]. The seed kernel contains about 22% oil. The fatty acid composition of the refined oil is: oleic acid 64%, linoleic acid 14.5%, palmitic acid 11%, stearic acid 10% and behenic acid 0.5%. The nutritional quality of the refined oil is considered to be comparable with that of groundnut oil[299 ].

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Antidiarrhoeal  Astringent  Bitter  Dysentery  Eczema  Febrifuge  Laxative  Mouthwash  
Odontalgic  Ophthalmic  Skin  Stings  Tonic

The bark is astringent, bitter and tonic. It is used in the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery[287 , 307 ]. A decoction of the bark, sometimes mixed with the flowers, is used as a gargle to treat gum inflammation, toothache etc[287 ]. It is also used to treat gonorrhoea, snakebites, fevers, wounds, scabies and eczema[299 , 307 ]. It is often combined with tamarind bark (Tamarindus indica) then used as a lotion on skin complaints[299 ]. The leaves are used to treat headache, toothache, wounds and sore eyes, and are smoked to cure infections of the nose and mouth[299 ]. The flowers have been used as a remedy against diarrhoea[299 ]. The young fruits have been employed in a gargle for treating sprue[299 ]. The pounded seeds are used to cure obstinate constipation[299 ]. Several triterpenes have been isolated from the plant, as well as steroidal glycosides[299 ]. The major chemical compounds in the flowers are aromatic alcohols and esters[299 ]. The ethyl-acetate-soluble fraction of an alcoholic extract of the bark showed anti-ulcer activity against experimental gastric ulcers; this activity was attributed to a decrease in gastric acid secretory activity along with strengthening of mucosal defensive mechanisms[299 ]. A methanolic extract caused hypotensive activity; it may possess calcium-blocking activity[299 ].

Beads  Dye  Essential  Fuel  Furniture  Insecticide  Lighting  Oil  Paint  Soap  Stuffing  Tannin  Teeth  Wood

Small shade tree. Street tree. Public open space. Civic centre. Screening. Other Uses: The flowers are very aromatic and retain their fragrance for a long time after being dried[307 ]. They are used as a filling in pillows, strung in garlands or necklaces for decoration, or placed in linen-cupboards. An essential oil used in perfumery can be distilled from them[299 , 307 , 317 ]. The leaves contain an essential oil[317 ]. The bark contains an essential oil[317 ]. The seeds are used for making necklaces [299 ]. The saponins from the seeds are effective against the plant pathogens Phytophthora palmivora and Colletotrichum capsici, and field trials in India showed that they can be used for control of these pathogens in betel pepper (Piper betle) plantations[299 ]. An oil obtained from the seeds is used to make paint and for lighting[299 , 307 ]. The bark has been used for tanning, but the tannin content is low[299 ]. A brown dye is obtained from the bark[307 ]. The heartwood is deep red or dark red-brown, often with darker streaks; it is not sharply demarcated from the paler, 5 - 7cm wide band of sapwood. The grain is straight, wavy or slightly interlocked; texture very fine to fine and even, occasionally with watered-silk figure on the tangential face of the sapwood; the taste is bitter and the wood contains saponin and lathers when rubbed with water. The wood is heavy; very hard; very strong and tough; very durable, even when exposed to the weather or in contact with the ground. It is reportedly resistant to marine borer attack and to dry-wood termites. The sapwood is susceptible to Lyctus. It is liable to end-splitting, warping and surface checking if not carefully seasoned. It is generally considered difficult to work, especially in sawing, due to the presence of silica, but is easier to work when still green; stellite-tipped saws are recommended; it finishes very well using sharp tools. The wood is used for heavy general construction, building purposes, boat and shipbuilding, piles, bridges, agricultural implements and oil mills[287 , 299 ]. It is also used for flooring, bearings, doors and framing, poles and piles, foundation sills, railway sleepers, paving blocks, mine timber, furniture and cabinet work, vehicle bodies and wheels, turnery, tool handles, walking sticks, weaving shuttles, toys, sporting goods and musical instruments. A good-quality veneer and plywood can be manufactured from the wood[299 ]. The tree also yields a good fuelwood[299 ]. The energy value of the heartwood is 21,340 kJ/kg, that of the sapwood 21,090 kJ/kg[299 ].

Special Uses

Food Forest  Scented Plants