Sea-Poison Tree

Barringtonia asiatica

Barringtonia asiatica
Leaves and opening flower
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Ericales
Family:	Lecythidaceae
Genus:	Barringtonia
Species:	B. asiatica
Binomial name
Barringtonia asiatica (L.) Kurz
Synonyms
Agasta asiatica Miers A. indica Miers Barringtonia butonica J.R.Forst. B. speciosa J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. Mammea asiatica L. (basionym) Michelia asiatica Kuntze

Barringtonia asiatica (Fish Poison Tree, Putat or Sea Poison Tree) is a species of Barringtonia native to mangrove habitats on the tropical coasts and islands of the Indian Ocean and western Pacific Ocean from Zanzibar east to Taiwan, the Philippines, Fiji, New Caledonia, the Cook Islands, Wallis and Futuna and French Polynesia. It is grown along streets for decorative and shade purposes in some parts of India, for instance in some towns on southeastern shore. It is also known as Box Fruit due the distinct box-shaped fruit it produces. The local name futu is the source of the name for the French Polynesian island Futuna. The type specimen was collected by botanist Pehr Osbeck on a sandy beach area on the island of Java, later to be described (and given the original name of Mammea asiatica) by Carl Linnaeus in his Species Plantarum in 1753.

References

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