Hydnocarpus alcalae (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia
Introduction

1, leafy twig; 2, male flower; 3, female flower; 4, fruits; 5, fruit in longitudinal section (Achmad Satiri Nurhaman)

Protologue: Philipp. Journ. Sci., Bot. 11: 37 (1916).

Vernacular names

Philippines (southern Luzon), but planted and naturalized elsewhere in Malesia.

The seed oil has been extensively used in the treatment of leprosy.

A small tree or shrub, 4-7 m tall, branches glabrous.
Leaves ovate-oblong, 15-25 cm × 7-11 cm, subcoriaceous, base very asymmetrical, apex acuminate.
Inflorescence a pseudo-racemose panicle, 15-30(-60) cm long, male inflorescences in fascicles of 3-4, female inflorescences solitary, cauliflorous or ramiflorous.
Flowers 5-merous, greenish white or cream.
Fruit obovoid, pendent, 15-31 cm × 8-15(-20) cm, dark brown with purple and greenish spots, exocarp 0.3-0.7 mm thick, mesocarp stony, 6 mm thick, endocarp soft, 7 mm thick, with 80-110 seeds.
Seeds subglobular or ellipsoidal, 3-5 cm × 2.5-3 cm, with a pale yellow aril, embedded in a fragrant, astringent pulp.

H. alcalae occurs naturally in moist ravines.

[190] Brown, W.H., 1951-1957. Useful plants of the Philippines. Reprint of the 1941-1943 edition. 3 volumes. Technical Bulletin 10. Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Bureau of Printing, Manila, the Philippines. Vol. 1 (1951) 590 pp., Vol. 2 (1954) 513 pp., Vol. 3 (1957) 507 pp.
[332] de Padua, L.S., Lugod, G.C. & Pancho, J.V., 1977-1983. Handbook on Philippine medicinal plants. 4 volumes. Documentation and Information Section, Office of the Director of Research, University of the Philippines at Los Baños, the Philippines.
[1126] Perry, L.M., 1980. Medicinal plants of East and Southeast Asia. Attributed properties and uses. MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States & London, United Kingdom. 620 pp.
[1178] Quisumbing, E., 1978. Medicinal plants of the Philippines. Katha Publishing Co., Quezon City, the Philippines. 1262 pp.
[1376] Sleumer, H., 1938. Monographie der Gattung Hydnocarpus Gaertner [Monograph of the genus Hydnocarpus Gaertner]. Botanische Jahrbücher 69: 1-94.
[1377] Sleumer, H., 1954. Flacourtiaceae. In: van Steenis, C.G.G.J. (General editor): Flora Malesiana. Series 1, Vol. 5. Noordhoff-Kolff N.V., Djakarta, Indonesia. pp. 1-106.