Elateriospermum tapos
Blume
Perah tree, Tapos
(c) loupok, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)
(c) Peri Lee Pipkin, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
What to Eat
Edible parts: Fruit, Seeds, Leaves
The ripe fruit are eaten fresh. The seeds are roasted, shelled, and eaten; they are also sometimes pickled or fermented. Seeds are never consumed raw.
Known Hazards
Where to Find It
A tropical plant. It suits the hot humid tropical lowlands. It grows from sea level to 600 m altitude.
Asia, Brunei, Indochina, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pacific, Philippines, SE Asia, Thailand,
How to Identify
A straight tree. It grows up to 27 m tall. It has medium brown flaky bark. The trunk is 35 cm. across. The leaves are oblong and 15 cm long by 5 cm wide. It has a narrow tip. Young leaves are red. The flowers are at the ends of branches. They are 17 cm long. Male flowers are 2 mm across and female flowers are 5 mm across. They are cream and have a strong smell. The fruit are oblong and 5-6.3 cm long. The fruit grow in clusters of three. The fruit are green becoming dull brown. Older fruit compared to rubber fruit. The ripe fruit are edible. The seeds are 5 cm long.
Nutrition Score: 59/100
| Part | Moisture | kJ | kcal | Protein | Vit A | Vit C | Iron | Zinc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fruit | 36.7 | 379 | 92.4 | 13.6 | — | — | 22 | 29 |
How to Grow
Plants are grown by seed. The seed are 5 cm long.
Medicinal Uses
Traditional uses are documented but specific medicinal purposes are not detailed in the data.
Other Uses
The oil is pale yellow and nearly odourless. It can be used as a lamp oil, but is seldom pressed from the seed. The seeds make nice toys for children, they are used as toy beetles or threaded together in a game called 'conquerors'. A bluish-white latex obtained from the plant is used to polish blowpipes to a glossy dark sheen The sapwood is white, the heartwood with beautiful dark brown flames. It is hard and durable. The wood is usually considered to be excellent, but is unsuitable for construction because, although the sapwood is durable, the heartwood rots easily or is attacked by termites unless treated with preservatives. It is mainly used for making small items, like the handles of rubber tapping knives, because it takes a nice polish. The wood is often used as a fuel.
Notes
Wood used to make posts and build houses.
Names & Synonyms
Buah perah, Dungku, Gua pra, Kedui, Kelampai, Perah kokong, Perah, Piah, Ple prah, Pra, Tapos, Tapuih
References (21)
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- www.nationalherbarium.nl/thaueuph/ Flora of Thailand.
- www.frim.gov.my
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