| Palu, Palai, or Rayan | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Sapotaceae |
| Genus: | Manilkara |
| Species: | M. hexandra |
| Binomial name | |
| Manilkara hexandra (Roxb.) Dubard[1] |
|
| Synonyms | |
Manilkara hexandra is a species in the tribe Sapoteae, in the Sapotaceae family that is native to much of south Asia (China: Hainan and southern Guangxi provinces; the Indian Subcontinent: Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka; Indo-China: Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.[1]
M. hexandra is a slow-growing evergreen tree that grows in tropical and temperate forests. It grows 40 to 80 feet tall and 1 to 3 meters in circumference. The bark is grayish black and rough. The wood is very hard, heavy, and very durable, weighing 70 pounds per cubic foot. The bark colour ranges from dark pink to dark purple. It is used for heavy structural work, gate posts, and big beams.[3]
It is used as rootstock for M. zapota, the latter being grafted on the former, and its fruit is edible.[1]
It is commonly called called "Palu" (පලු) in Sinhalese or Palai and Rayan.[3]