Barringtonia racemosa

Barringtonia racemosa, commonly known as powder-puff tree, is a species of tree in the family Lecythidaceae. It is found in coastal swamp forests and on the edges of estuaries in the Indian Ocean, starting at the east coast of Mozambique and KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa) to Madagascar, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Maldives, Thailand, Laos, southern China, northern Australia, coastal Taiwan, the Ryukyu Islands and many Polynesian islands.^[3]

Barringtonia racemosa
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Ericales
Family:	Lecythidaceae
Genus:	Barringtonia
Species:	B. racemosa
Binomial name
Barringtonia racemosa (L.) Spreng.
Synonyms
Barringtonia apiculata (Miers) R.Knuth [Illegitimate] Barringtonia caffra (Miers) E.Mey. ex R.Knuth Barringtonia caffra E. Mey. Barringtonia celebesensis R.Knuth Barringtonia ceramensis R.Knuth Barringtonia ceylanica (Miers) Gardner ex C.B.Clarke Barringtonia elongata Korth. Barringtonia excelsa A.Gray Barringtonia inclyta Miers ex B.D.Jacks. [Invalid] Barringtonia lageniformis Merr. & L.M.Perry Barringtonia longiracemosa C.T.White Barringtonia obtusangula (Blume) R.Knuth Barringtonia pallida (Miers) Koord. & Valeton Barringtonia racemosa Oliv. Barringtonia racemosa (L.) Blume ex DC. Barringtonia racemosa var. elongata (Korth.) Blume Barringtonia racemosa var. minor Blume Barringtonia racemosa var. procera Blume Barringtonia racemosa var. subcuneata Miq. Barringtonia rosaria Oken Barringtonia rosata (Sonn.) R.Knuth Barringtonia rumphiana (Miers) R.Knuth Barringtonia salomonensis Rech. Barringtonia stravadium Blanco Barringtonia terrestris (Miers) R.Knuth Barringtonia timorensis Blume Butonica alba (Pers.) Miers [Illegitimate] Butonica apiculata Miers Butonica caffra Miers Butonica ceylanica Miers Butonica inclyta Miers Butonica racemosa (L.) Juss. Butonica rosata (Sonn.) Miers Butonica rumphiana Miers Butonica terrestris Miers Caryophyllus racemosus (L.) Stokes Eugenia racemosa L. Huttum racemosum (L.) Britten Megadendron ambiguum Miers Megadendron pallidum Miers Menichea rosata Sonn. Michelia apiculata (Miers) Kuntze Michelia ceylanica (Miers) Kuntze Michelia racemosa (L.) Kuntze Michelia rosata (Sonn.) Kuntze Michelia timorensis (Blume) Kuntze Stravadium album Pers. [Illegitimate] Stravadium obtusangulum Blume Stravadium racemosum (L.) Sweet Stravadium rubrum DC. [Illegitimate] [2]

The 1889 book 'The Useful Native Plants of Australia’ records that the Indigenous people of the Mitchell River District called this plant "Yakooro" and that "The root of this tree has a bitter taste, and is used by Hindoo [sic.] practitioners on account of its aperient and cooling qualities. The seeds and bark are also used in native medicine; the latter is of a reddish colour, and is said to possess properties allied to the Cinchonas. The pulverised fruit is used as snuff, and, combined with other remedies, is applied externally in diseases of the skin. (Treasury of Botany)."^[4]

The powder-puff tree is a protected tree in South Africa.^[5]

Gallery

• 
  Flowers and foliage
• 
  New leaves
• 
  Fruit
• 
  Young leaves
• 
  Roots in stream bank
• 
  Inflorescence
• 
  Leaves in winter
• 
  Plant in winter

See also

• List of Southern African indigenous trees

References

1. IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group.; Botanic Gardens Conservation International; et al. (BGCI) (2020). "Barringtonia racemosa". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T160298203A160301831. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-1.RLTS.T160298203A160301831.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
2. "Barringtonia racemosa (L.) Spreng. — the Plant List".
3. "Australian plant common name database". Australian National Botanic Gardens. Retrieved 2007-08-19.
4. J. H. Maiden (1889). The useful native plants of Australia : Including Tasmania. Turner and Henderson, Sydney.
5. "Protected Trees" (PDF). Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, Republic of South Africa. 3 May 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-07-05.

Notes

• Pooley, E. (1993). The Complete Field Guide to Trees of Natal, Zululand and Transkei. ISBN 0-620-17697-0..

External links

• Cheek, Michael (January 2008). "Barringtonia racemosa (L.) Roxb". SA National Biodiversity Institute.
• Orwa; et al. (2009). "Barringtonia racemosa (L.) Spreng" (PDF). Agroforestry Database 4.0.
• Lovelock, Catherine (1993). Field Guide to the Mangroves of Queensland (PDF). Australian Institute of Marine Science. p. 24. ISBN 0-642-18502-6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-02-18.
• "Barringtonia racemosa (L.) Spreng". Atlas of Living Australia.

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