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Buchanania arborescens (Blume) Blume

Family Name:	Anacardiaceae
Synonyms:	Buchanania florida, Buchanania lucida
Common Name:	Sparrows' Mango, Otak Udang, Katak Udang, Ketak Udang, Puah Pipit, Puan, Terentang Tikus

Buchanania arborescens or Sparrows' Mango is a large tree of up to 35 m tall. It has leathery oval to narrowly egg or drop-shaped leaves, small cream white flowers and red lens-shaped fruit. Sparrow's Mango is often found in parks and large gardens due to its tolerance to roadside conditions, adaptable to a wide range of soils from coastal, sandy to muddy.

Full Sun

Lots of Water

Moderate Water

Bird-Attracting Plant

Native to Singapore

Herb or Spice

Coastal Plant

Suitable for Roadsides

Ornamental Flowers

Tree

Name

Family Name
Genus Epithet
Species Epithet
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Species Summary

Classifications and Characteristics

Plant Division	Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon)
Plant Growth Form	Tree (Big (>30m))
Lifespan (in Singapore)	Perennial

Mode of Nutrition	Autotrophic
Plant Shape	Rounded, Irregular
Maximum Height	35 m

Biogeography

Native Distribution	China, Taiwan, Myanmar, Andaman Islands, Indochina, Thailand, throughout Malesia (including Singapore) to New Britain (Papua New Guinea), Solomons Islands, and Australia
Native Habitat	Terrestrial (Primary Rainforest, Secondary Rainforest, Coastal Forest, Freshwater Swamp Forest, Riverine)
Preferred Climate Zone	Tropical, Sub-Tropical / Monsoonal

Local Conservation Status

Native to Singapore (Least Concern (LC))

Description and Ethnobotany

Growth Form	It is a tree up to 35 m tall. Buttresses up to 1 m high may also be present sometimes. When the tree is flowering, the plant is easily noticed by its distinct, creamy white coloured crown.
Foliage	Its spirally arranged, stalked leaves have leathery leaf blades that are green, oval to narrowly egg-shaped or drop-shaped, and 4–35 by 1.8–9.5 cm, with a blunt tip, and network-like venation.
Flowers	Its flowering shoots are 5.5–22 cm long, and bear cream-white flowers.

Fruit	Its fruits are lens-shaped, red tinged green, and up to 10 mm wide.
Habitat	It grows in lowland secondary forests, along riverbanks, near beaches, peat swamps, and on hills, up to 500 m altitude. It occurs locally in Western Catchment, Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Mandai, Nee Soon swamp forest, Pasir Panjang, Sentosa, Pulau Pawai, and Pulau Tekong.
Associated Fauna	It is the preferred local food plant for caterpillars of the moth, Phyllocnistis exiguella. Its flowers are insect-pollinated.
Cultivation	It can be propagated by seed.
Etymology	Latin Buchanania, after F. Buchanan-Hamilton (d. 1829), a Scottish naturalist who first described but not named any one of these Buchanania trees from Myanmar in 1798; Latin arborescens, referring to the tree-like habit of the plant
Ethnobotanical Uses	Food (Herb or Spice) Medicinal: Headaches can be treated using a poultice of pounded leaves. Timber & Products: The wood, though of inferior quality, is used for a variety of uses such as boxes, cases, furniture, interior finishing, light construction, joints, roof supports, and veneers. Cultural / Religious: Heritage Tree : There is currently one individual of Buchanania arborescens listed as a Heritage Tree in Singapore. It can be found at Changi. To find out more about this tree, please visit the Heritage Tree Register. Others: The bark contains a small amount of tannin, and is used to strengthen fishing nets.

Landscaping Features

Landscaping	This tree may be suitable for parks and large gardens, and may be able to tolerate roadside conditions. Its cream-white flowers and dense mango-like foliage make it attractive. It can tolerate a wide range of soil conditions, so making it suitable for most sites from coastal to inland, sandy to muddy situations.
Desirable Plant Features	Ornamental Flowers, Ornamental Form
Landscape Uses	General, Suitable for Roadsides, Parks & Gardens, Small Gardens, Coastal, Riverine

Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal

Fauna Pollination Dispersal Associated Fauna	Bird-Attracting (Fruits), Caterpillar Moth Food Plant (Leaves)
Pollination Method(s)	Biotic (Fauna)
Seed or Spore Dispersal	Biotic (Fauna)

Plant Care and Propagation

Light Preference	Full Sun
Water Preference	Moderate Water, Lots of Water
Plant Growth Rate	Moderate

Rootzone Tolerance	Moist Soils, Waterlogged Soils (Drains Site), Well-Drained Soils, Fertile Loamy Soils
Propagation Method	Seed

Foliar

Foliage Retention	Evergreen
Mature Foliage Colour(s)	Green
Mature Foliage Texture(s)	Leathery

Foliar Type	Simple / Unifoliate
Foliar Arrangement Along Stem	Alternate, Spiral
Foliar Attachment to Stem	Petiolate
Foliar Shape(s)	Non-Palm Foliage (Obovate)
Foliar Venation	Pinnate / Net
Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio	3.0 (Tree - Intermediate Canopy)

Non - Foliar and Storage

Stem Type & Modification	Woody
Root Type	Underground (Tap Root)

Floral (Angiosperm)

Flower & Plant Sexuality	Bisexual Flowers , Bisexual Flowers
Flower Colour(s)	White, Cream / Off-White

Flower Grouping	Cluster / Inflorescence
Flower Location	Axillary
Flower Symmetry	Radial
Flowering Habit	Polycarpic

Fruit, Seed and Spore

Mature Fruit Colour(s)	Red
Fruit Classification	Simple Fruit
Fruit Type	Fleshy Fruit , Non-Accessory Fruit

References

References	Chayamarit, K (2010). Anacardiaceae. Flora of Thailand, 10(3), pp. 270 - 272. Bangkok: Forest Herbarium, Royal Forest Department.

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Master ID	1467
Species ID	2760
Flora Disclaimer	The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes.

Species record last updated on: 30 July 2024.