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Terminalia catappa

L.
Tropical almond · Indian-almond · Beach Almond · Alman Tree · Almond

Summary

Terminalia catappa is a large tropical tree known for its distinctively tiered branches and large, leathery leaves that turn vibrant red or yellow before falling. It produces a corky, water-dispersed drupe containing a single edible, almond-like seed.

Region

Its exact native range is uncertain due to ancient human dispersal, but it is widely naturalized across tropical Asia, Australia, the Pacific, Madagascar, and the Seychelles. It has also been introduced to parts of Africa and the Americas.

Uses: beneficial

It is widely cultivated as an ornamental shade tree in tropical regions, and its fallen leaves are highly valued in the aquarium hobby to condition water and protect fish. The seeds are consumed raw or cooked as a food source.

Uses: medicinal (traditional)

In traditional folk medicine, preparations made from the fallen leaves and bark are used to treat ailments such as liver diseases, dysentery, and diarrhea.

Uses: artisanal

The wood is red, solid, and highly water-resistant, and has been traditionally used by Polynesian peoples for crafting canoes.
Recorded in: Polynesian, Surinamese, Taiwanese

Distribution

Amazonia colombiana: sur del departamento del Vichada; el suroriente del Meta; todo el territorio de los departamentos de Amazonas, Caquetá, Guainía, Guaviare, Putumayo y Vaupés; la Bota Caucana; y las vertientes amazónicas de Nariño (la parte alta de los ríos Guamuez, Sucio, San Miguel y Aguarico)Galápagos IslandsGuadeloupeMartiniqueCaribbeanNorth AmericaOceaniaArmenia | Montería | Leticia | ManizalesDepartamento del Tolima, municipio de Ambalema, vereda Gamba San Martín, humedal AmbalemitaBucaramanga | Cimitarra | Girón | LebrijaDistrito Regional de Manejo Integrado (DRMI) Laguna de Sonso, municipio de Guadalajara de Buga, Valle del Cauca, ColombiaParque Nacional Natural Tayrona | Parque Nacional Natural GorgonaPiojóComplejo Humedales Hato Corozal. Cienaga ZapatosaCape Verde Isl. (Sao Vicente Isl., Sal Isl., Ilha da Boa Vista, Ilha de Sao Tiago); Gambia [I]; Guinea [I]; Burkina Faso [I]; Togo [I]; Benin [I]; Cameroon [I]; Bioko Isl. [Fernando Poo] [I]; Principe Isl. [I]; São Tomé [I]; Annobon Isl. [I]; Gabon [I]; Chad [I]; Somalia [I]; Mozambique [I]; Madagascar; Comores (Mayotte, etc.); Mozambique Channel Isl. [Îles Éparses] (Île Europa, Juan de Nova Isl.); Mauritius; La Réunion; Rodrigues; Îles Glorieuses; Agalega Isl.; Aldabra (Aldabra Isl., Asuncio Isl., Cosmoledo Isl., Astove Isl., Farquhar Isl.); Seychelles (incl. Remire Isl., Desroches Isl., Coetivy Isl.); Chagos Arch. (Diego Garcia); Yemen (SW-Yemen, Aden Desert, SE-Yemen: coastal Hadhramaut); China (Guangdong, Hainan, SE-Yunnan); Ogasawara Isl. (Keetaajima, Nakohdojima, Chichijima, Anijima, Otohtojima, Hahajima); Volcano Isl. (Kita-Iwojima, Iwojima); Taiwan; Pakistan [I]; Nepal [c]; India (Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu); Lakshadweep Isl. [Laccadives]; Maldives; Sri Lanka; Bangladesh; Andaman Isl. (North Andaman Isl., Middle Andaman Isl., South Andaman Isl., Little Andaman Isl., Barren Isl.); Nicobar Isl. (Car Nicobar Isl., North Nicobar Isl., Central Nicobar Isl., Great Nicobar Isl., Little Nicobar Isl.); Myanmar; Cambodia; Vietnam; peninsular Malaysia (all coasts); Sumatra; South China Sea Isl.; Borneo; Brunei; Sulawesi; Philippines (throughout); Java; Lesser Sunda Isl. (Bali, etc.); Moluccas; Cocos [Keeling] Isl.; Christmas Isl. [Austr.]; New Guinea (Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea); Bismarck Arch.; Solomon Isl.; Australia (Northern Territory: Arnhem Land, coastal Queensland, Torres Strait Isl.); New Caledonia [I]; Vanuatu; Rotuma Isl.; Tonga (Late Isl., Tongatapu, 'Eua, Lifuka, Tafahi, Niuatoputapu); Niue; Fiji; Wallis & Futuna (Alofi Isl., Futuna Isl., 'Uvea Isl. and islets [Wallis]); American Samoa (Tutuila, Aunu'u, Ofu, Olosega, Ta'u); [Western] Samoa (Aleipata Islands, 'Upolu, Savai'i); Phoenix Isl. (Kanton); Gilbert Isl. (Tarawa, Nonouti); Banaba [Ocean] Isl.; Nauru; N-Line Isl. (Palmyra Atoll, Teraina, Tabueran, Kiritimati); Cook Isl. (Rarotonga); Marquesas Isl. (Nuku Hiva, Ua Huka, Ua Pou, Hiva Oa, Mohotan, Fatu Hiva); Society Isl. (Mopelia Atoll, Tahiti, Raiatea, Tetiaroa Atoll); Tuamotu Arch. (Anaa, Rangiroa, Makatea Isl., Takapoto Atoll, etc.); Pitcairn Isl.; Palau (Babeldaob, Koror, Ngarakabesang, Urukthapel, Ngeanges, Angaur, Sonsorol, Tobi); Northern Marianas (Maug, Asuncion, Agrihan, Pagan, Alamagan, Guguan, Sarigan, Anatahan, Farallon de Medinilla, Saipan, Tinian, Rota); Guam; Fed. States of Micronesia (Yap, Ulithi, Fais, Eauripik, Woleai, Ifalik, Nomwin, Truk, Moen, Dublon, Tol, Piis, Namoluk, Lukunor, Satawan, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi, Ant, Pohnpei, Pingelap, Kosrae); Marshall Isl. (Kwajalein, Likiep, Arno, Jaluit); Wake Isl.; Hawaii [I] (Kauai [I], Oahu [I], Molokai [I], Maui [I], Hawaii Isl. [I]), USA [I] (Florida [I]); Mexico [I]; Belize [I]; Honduras [I]; Nicaragua [I]; Nicaragua [I]; Costa Rica [I]; Isla del Coco [I]; Panama [I]; Bahamas [I]; Turks & Caicos Isl. [I]; Cuba [I]; Jamaica [I]; Dominican Republic [I]; Haiti [I]; Puerto Rico [I]; Virgin Isl. [I]; Anguilla [I]; St. Martin/St. Maarten [I]; St. Barthélémy [I]; Saba [I]; St. Eustatius [I]; Antigua [I]; Montserrat [I]; Guadeloupe [I]; Dominica [I]; Martinique [I]; St. Lucia; St. Vincent [I]; Grenada [I]; Barbados [I]; Tobago [I]; Trinidad [I]; San Andres y Providencia [I] (San Andres [I]); Colombia [I]; Venezuela [I]; Surinam [I]; French Guiana [I]; Ecuador [I]; Galapagos [I]; Peru [I]; Bolivia [I]; N-Brazil [I] (Pará [I], Amazonas [I], Acre [I]); NE-Brazil [I] (Bahia [I]); WC-Brazil [I] (Mato Grosso do Sul [I]); SE-Brazil [I] (Minas Gerais [I], São Paulo [I]); S-Brazil [I] (Paraná [I])Andaman Is.AssamBahamasBangladeshBelizeBeninBismarck ArchipelagoBoliviaBorneoBrazil NorthBrazil NortheastBrazil SouthBrazil SoutheastBrazil West-CentralCambodiaCameroonCape VerdeCaroline Is.Cayman Is.Central American Pacific Is.ChadChagos ArchipelagoChina SoutheastChristmas I.Cocos (Keeling) Is.ComorosCook Is.Costa RicaCubaDominican RepublicDR CongoEast HimalayaEcuadorEl SalvadorFijiFloridaFrench GuianaGabonGambiaGhanaGilbert Is.GuatemalaGuineaGuinea-BissauGulf of Guinea Is.HainanHaitiHawaiiIndiaJamaicaJawaKazan-rettoLaccadive Is.Leeward Is.Lesser Sunda Is.LiberiaLine Is.MadagascarMalayaMaldivesMalukuMarianasMarquesasMarshall Is.MauritiusMexico SouthwestMozambiqueMozambique Channel Is.MyanmarNansei-shotoNauruNepalNetherlands AntillesNew CaledoniaNew GuineaNicobar Is.NigeriaNiueNorthern TerritoryOgasawara-shotoPakistanPeruPhilippinesPitcairn Is.Puerto RicoQueenslandRéunionSamoaSenegalSeychellesSierra LeoneSociety Is.Solomon Is.SomaliaSouth China SeaSouthwest CaribbeanSri LankaSulawesiSumateraTaiwanThailandTongaTrinidad-TobagoTuamotuVanuatuVenezuelaVenezuelan AntillesVietnamWake I.Wallis-Futuna Is.Windward Is.GlobalAGAIAWBBBFBIBLBRBSBWCDCOCUCWDJDOEC

Images

leaf (1)
leaf

Sources

Event c7b12cfd2ada… published by npub1308mc75…