Canarium

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iCanarium

Canarium indicum

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Sapindales
Family:	Burseraceae
Genus:	Canarium

Species

See text

Canarium is a genus of about 75 species of tropical trees in the family Burseraceae, native to tropical Africa and southern Asia, from southern Nigeria east to Madagascar, Mauritius, India, southern China, Indonesia and the Philippines. They are large evergreen trees up to 40-50 m tall, with alternate, pinnate leaves.

[edit] Uses

Several species have edible nuts, known as Canarium nut, Pili nut or Galip nut. C. indicum and C. ovatum are among the most important nut-bearing trees in eastern Indonesia plus the SW Pacific and the Philippines respectively. Other species, most importantly C. luzonicum, produce the resin elemi.

Canarium odontophyllum (common name, Dabai) is a species of Canarium which is a delicious and nutritious fruit which tastes something like avocado. The skin and flesh are edible afer soaking in warm water. The fruit contains protein, fat and carbohydrate, thereby making it a perfect food. It has been introduced from Borneo to Queensland, Australia. In addition to food for humans, this plant's fruit may be eaten by certain lemurs such as the Red-bellied Lemur in Madagascar's eastern rainforests.

Fatty-acid methyl ester of C. commune 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).