Lecythidaceae

Native: Kenya to KwaZulu-Natal and W. Pacific.

Systematic Position

Kingdom: Plantae

Phylum: Streptophyta

Order: Ericales

Family: Lecythidaceae

Common Names

English – Powder-Puff Tree

Malayalam – സമുദ്രചാമ്പ

Description: It has a straight, unbranched stem with a rounded crown and reach a height of about 4-8m. The branches are marked with leaf scars. Alternately arranged leaves are clustered at the branch tips, obovate shape with 18-32cm long, 5.5-14.5cm broad. Flowers are produced on drooping racemes with about 0.8m long. The buds are pinkish red and split open to bring forth masses of delicate stamens in pink to white color that looks like artist’s brush. The flowers give off a pungent, putrid and faintly sweet odor in the morning. Fruit is a capsule and are quadrangular shape, 6.5cm long and 4cm wide.

Distribution: Africa, Madagascar, India, Malesia and the Pacific islands. Now planted in gardens worldwide.

Uses: The young or cooked leaves (to remove their bitterness) are edible. The pounded seeds are used to make edible flour. The seeds, bark, leaves, fruits, and roots are used medicinally for various ailments and diseases. Wood is utilized as firewood, and for construction.