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Baccaurea tetrandra (Baill.) Müll.Arg.

Family Name:	Phyllanthaceae
Synonyms:	Baccaurea stipulata J.J.Sm., Baccaurea terminalifolia Elmer, Baccaurea brevipedicellata Pax & K.Hoffm.
Common Name:	Kunau, Mata-pelandok

Baccaurea tetrandra, also known as Kunau, is a tree that can reach up to 20 m tall. It produces fleshy red fruits which split open when mature. The seeds are surrounded by a layer of blue to purple pulp, which is edible and sweet- to sour-tasting.

Full Sun

Moderate Water

Fruit or Vegetable

Tree

Name

Family Name
Genus Epithet
Species Epithet
Name Authority
Synonyms
Common Names
Comments
Species Summary

Classifications and Characteristics

Plant Division	Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants)
Plant Growth Form	Tree
Lifespan (in Singapore)	Perennial

Mode of Nutrition	Autotrophic
Maximum Height	20 m

Biogeography

Native Distribution	Borneo, Maluku, the Philippines and Sulawesi
Native Habitat	Terrestrial
Preferred Climate Zone	Tropical

Local Conservation Status

Non-native

Description and Ethnobotany

Growth Form	It is a tree, up to 20 m tall with candelabriform branching. The bark ranges from brown, grey to whitish green, and peels off in long strips, about 5 – 8 cm long.
Foliage	The leaves are obovate to elliptic, measuring (3.2 –) 5 – 21 cm long and 1.5 – 12.3 cm wide. They are spirally arranged and each leaf has (2–) 4 – 9 pairs of lateral veins. The leaf tip is pointed (ranging from obtuse to acute) and may extend up to 2 cm long, while the base is rounded to wedge-shaped (cuneate). The petiole is 0.4 – 7.5 cm long. The stipules fall off early, measuring about 0.3 – 1.1 cm long and 0.12 – 0.45 cm wide.
Flowers	The flowers are unisexual where male and female flowers are borne on separate plants (dioecious). They occur in branched clusters (thyrses) at the leaf axils. Male inflorescences measure 1.5 – 1.7 cm long and bear of 1 – 3 (– many) flowers. Male flowers are yellow to white, about 0.16 – 0.45 cm diameter, and have (3 or) 4 or 5 stamens. Female inflorescences are longer (2.5 – 30 cm long), and bear 1 – 3 flowers. Female flowers are yellow to green (to red), about 0.3 – 1.2 cm diameter, with a hairy globose ovary and a cleft stigma. Style is absent.

Fruit	The fruits occur in clusters on a stalk that can reach up to 45 cm long. They are globose to ellipsoid. These fleshy capsules, measuring 0.7 – 1.7 cm long and 0.65 – 1.5 cm wide), are red and split open at maturity. Each fruit contains 1 or 2 or 4 seeds within. The seeds are globose to obovoid and surrounded by a layer of blue to purple pulp (arillode).
Habitat	It is found in rainforests and swamp forests, up to 1500 m altitude.
Associated Fauna	Flowers are pollinated by insects.
Etymology	The genus epithet comprises of two parts. bacca, in Latin, means berry while aurea, in Latin, means golden, which refers to the golden coloured berries of some species in the genus. The specific epithet tetra, in Greek, means four or square.
Ethnobotanical Uses	Edible Plant Parts : Edible Fruits Food (Fruit or Vegetable): The pulp (arillode) is edible and sweet- to sour-tasting.

Landscaping Features

Landscape Uses	Parks & Gardens

Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal

Pollination Method(s)	Biotic (Fauna)
Seed or Spore Dispersal	Biotic (Fauna)

Plant Care and Propagation

Light Preference	Full Sun
Water Preference	Moderate Water
Plant Growth Rate	Moderate

Foliar

Mature Foliage Colour(s)	Green
Foliar Type	Simple / Unifoliate
Foliar Arrangement Along Stem	Spiral

Foliar Attachment to Stem	Petiolate
Foliar Margin	Entire
Foliar Apex - Tip	Obtuse, Acute
Foliar Base	Cuneate, Rounded / Obtuse

Non - Foliar and Storage

Trunk Type (Non Palm)	Woody
Root Type	Underground

Floral (Angiosperm)

Flower & Plant Sexuality	Unisexual Flowers , Dioecious
Flower Colour(s)	Cream / Off-White, Yellow / Golden, Red, Green

Flower Grouping	Cluster / Inflorescence
Flower Location	Axillary
Inflorescence Type	Thyrse

Fruit, Seed and Spore

Fruit Classification	Simple Fruit
Fruit Type	Dehiscent Dry Fruit , Capsule
Seed Quantity Per Fruit	Few (1-5)

References

References	Haegens, R.M.A.P. (2020). Baccaurea (Phyllanthaceae) In: Welzen, P.C. van (ed.). Flora Malesiana Euphorbiaceae. Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden. (accessed 30 September 2025)

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Master ID	33581
Species ID	7995
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.