Calophyllum inophyllum

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iCalophyllum inophyllum

Calophyllum inophyllum flower

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Malpighiales
Family:	Clusiaceae
Subfamily:	Kielmeyeroideae
Tribe:	Calophylleae
Genus:	Calophyllum
Species:	C. inophyllum

Binomial name

Calophyllum inophyllum
L.

Calophyllum inophyllum is a large evergreen tree in the family Clusiaceae, native from East Africa, southern coastal India to Malesia and Australia. It is called Ballnut or, confusingly, "Alexandrian Laurel" (it is not a laurel nor native to Alexandria). Nowadays it is widely cultivated in all tropical regions of the world, including several Pacific Islands. Because of its decorative leaves, fragrant flowers and spreading crown, it is best known as an ornamental plant.

It is a low-branching and slow-growing tree with a broad and irregular crown. It usually reaches 8 to 20 m in height. The flower is 25 mm wide and occurs in racemose or paniculate inflorescences consisting of 4 to 15 flowers. Flowering can occur year-round, but usually two distinct flowering periods are observed, in late spring and in late autumn. The fruit (the ballnut) is a round, green drupe reaching 2 to 4 cm in diameter and having a single large seed. When ripe, the fruit is wrinkled and its color varies from yellow to brownish-red.

This tree often grows in coastal regions as well as nearby lowland forests. However it has also been cultivated successfully in inland areas at moderate altitudes. It tolerates varied kinds of soil, coastal sand, clay or even degraded soil.

In Tahiti they called it the ati tree. Several species of the tree grow wild in the tropical climes in the Pacific. In Hawaii, the tree and nuts are called kamani; in Fiji the name is ndamanu and fetau in Samoa. In Vanuatu, the natives call the oil nambagura. In Tahiti, the natives named it Tamanu Oil. The preferred variety of ati tree which flourishes in Vanuatu is calophyllum inophyllum. This species is regarded as the prime species among all others for producing the best quality oil and it is most coveted variety of the tree growing anywhere.

[edit] Uses

Besides being a popular ornamental plant, its wood is hard and strong and has been used in construction or boatbuilding. Traditional Pacific Islanders used Calophyllum wood to contruct the keel of their canoes while the boat sides were made from Breadfruit wood. The seeds yield a thick, dark green oil for medicinal use or hair grease. Active ingredients in the oil are believed to regenerate tissue, so is sought after by cosmetic manufacturers as an ingredient in skin cremes. The nuts should be well dried before cracking, after which the oil-laded kernel should be further dried. The average oil yield is 11.7 kg-oil/tree or

The fatty-acid methyl ester of C. inophyllum seed oil meets all of the major biodiesel requirements in the USA (ASTM D 6751-02, ASTM PS 121-99), Germany (DIN V 51606) and European Union (EN 14214). The average oil yield is 11.7 kg-oil/tree or 4680 kg-oil/hectare

The tree is regarded as sacred in some Pacific islands because of its excellent growth in sandy soil as shade tree, antibacterial/costmetic oil and key role as traditional canoes' keel.