Barringtonia asiatica

Taxonomy

This species was first described in 1753 as Mammea asiatica by Carl Linnaeus, based on material collected from Java by Pehr Osbeck, a Swedish naturalist and one of Linnaeus' apostles. It was transferred to the genus Barringtonia (which at the time was variously placed in either Myrtaceae, Lecythidaceae or Barringtoniaceae) by the German botanist Wilhelm Sulpiz Kurz in 1875. A number of other botanists have collected specimens of this plant and described them under different names, all of which are now recognised as synonyms (see synonyms list).

Etymology

The genus name was created to honour the English lawyer, antiquary and naturalist, Daines Barrington, while the species epithet asiatica refers to the region where this species is found.

Vernacular names

Due to its wide distribution, this species is known by many different names in different regions. In Australia it is called beach Barringtonia, mango pine, mango bark and box fruit. In Malaya and Singapore it is called Putat laut; in Indonesia and Borneo it is known as Butun, Butun alas and other variations; in the Andaman Islands it is referred to as Kyee-bin; it is called bonnet d'évêque (bishop's hat) in New Caledonia; in the Cook Islands it is 'Utu, and may be called hutu, wutu or futu in other Polynesian cultures.

Distribution and habitat

Barringtonia asiatica is native to tropical coastlines from Tanzania and Madagascar to India, Southeast Asia, Australia, the Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Fiji and many other islands of the western Pacific Ocean, and it has been introduced to the Cayman Islands, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, the Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico, Trinidad-Tobago and the Windward Islands. It inhabits beaches and coastal forests at altitudes up to 100 m (330 ft).

Conservation

The International Union for Conservation of Nature has given this species a conservation rating of least concern globally, however in Singapore it is locally classified as critically endangered.

Ecology

The night-opening flowers of this tree are pollinated by bats and moths. The fruit have a thick spongy layer around the seed, making them very buoyant and allowing them to be dispersed by ocean currents. In testing it has been shown that they can remain afloat for up to fifteen years, although in the ocean most will only survive for up to two years. They have been found on beaches as far away as Ireland and the Netherlands, and it was one of the first plants to colonise the island of Anak Krakatau after the massive eruption in 1883.

Toxicity

The plant is highly toxic to humans.

Uses

Many traditional cultures have used the bark and seeds as a fish poison – they are crushed or pounded to release the saponins contained within, and then placed in slow moving freshwater streams or coral lagoons. The fish are quickly killed or stunned, but the mechanism is not fully understood.

The fruit have been used as floats for fishing nets. The timber is not very hardy and thus has limited use.

The bark, leaves and fruit have been used for medical complaints such as headaches, backaches, sores, and bad dreams.

Cultivation

This tree has ornamental flowers and foliage and provides good shade, and it has been widely planted in tropical parks and gardens. In the city of Cairns, Australia, close to 100 have planted in the streets and parks.