Terminalia catappa

Scientific classification
Kingdom- Plantae
Class 1: angiosperms
Class2: eudicots
Class 3: rosids
Order: myrtales
Family: compretaceae
Genius: Terminalia
Species: T. catappa

Terminalia catappa
Terminalia catappa is a large tropical tree in the leadwood tree family, Combretaceae, native to Asia,
Australia, the Pacific, Madagascar and Seychelles (Thomson and Evans, 2019). Common names in english
include country almond, Indian almond, Malabar almond, sea almond, tropical almond, beach almond,
and false kamani.

The tree grows to 35 metres (115 feet) tall, with an upright, symmetrical crown and horizontal branches.
The fruit is corky and light and dispersed by water. As the tree gets older, its crown becomes more
flattened to form a spreading, vase shape. Its branches are distinctively arranged in tiers. The leaves are
large, 15–25 cm (6–9+3⁄4 in) long and 10–14 cm (4–5+1⁄2 in) broad, ovoid, glossy dark green, and
leathery. They are dry-season deciduous; before falling, they turn pinkish-reddish or yellow-brown, due
to pigments such as violaxanthin, lutein, and zeaxanthin.

The trees are monoecious, with distinct male and female flowers on the same tree. Both are 1 cm (3⁄8 in)
in diameter, white to greenish, and inconspicuous with no petals; they are produced on axillary or
terminal spikes. The fruit is a drupe 5–7 cm (2–2+3⁄4 in) long and 3–5.5 cm (1+1⁄8–2+1⁄8 in) broad, green at
first, then yellow and finally red when ripe, containing a single seed. When the seed germinates, it
unfolds the largest pair of foliar (leafy) cotyledons of any plant; up to 8.5 cm wide by up to 3.5 cm long
(Burger, 1972). Pollen grains measure about 30 microns.

Distribution and habitat

The tree has been spread widely by humans, so the native range is uncertain. It has long been
naturalised in a broad belt extending from Africa to northern Australia and New Guinea through
southeast Asia and Micronesia into the Indian subcontinent. More recently, the plant has been
introduced to parts of the Americas. Until the mid-20th century, the tree had been used extensively in
Brazilian urban landscaping, since being a rare case tropical deciduous, their fallen leaves would give a
"European" flair to the street. This practice is currently abolished, and the "amendoeiras" are being
replaced by native, evergreen trees.

Cultivation and uses

T. catappa is widely grown in tropical regions of the world as an ornamental tree, grown for the deep
shade its large leaves provide. The fruit is edible (Hargreaves, 1964) tasting slightly acidic. The seeds are
edible raw or cooked (The complete Guide to edible wild plants, 2009) when ripe and the source of its
'almond' common names, but are small and difficult to extract.

The wood is red and solid, and has high water resistance; it has been used in Polynesia for making
canoes. In Tamil, almond is known as nattuvadumai.

The leaves contain several flavonoids (such as kaempferol or quercetin), several tannins (such as
punicalin, punicalagin or tercatin), saponines and phytosterols. Due to this chemical richness, the leaves
(and the bark) are used in different herbal medicines for various purposes. For instance in Taiwan, fallen
leaves are used as an herb to treat liver diseases. In Suriname, an herbal tea made from the leaves has
been prescribed against dysentery and diarrhea. The leaves may contain agents for prevention of
cancers (although they have no demonstrated anticarcinogenic properties) and antioxidants, as well as
anticlastogenic characteristics. Extracts of T. catappa have shown activity against Plasmodium
falciparum chloroquine (CQ)-resistant (FcB1) and CQ-sensitive (HB3) strains (Hnawia et al., 2011).

Keeping the leaves in an aquarium may lower the pH and heavy-metal content of the water.[citation
needed] It has been used in this way by fish breeders for many years, and is active against some
parasites and bacterial pathogens (Chitmanat et al, 2005). It is also believed to help prevent fungus
forming on the eggs of the fish.[citation needed] While common in hobby fishkeeping, this use of
catappa leaves is not used in commercial aquaculture.

Edible Uses

Seed - raw or cooked. The almond-flavoured seeds can be eaten out of hand or roasted. They can be
chopped and added to cookies, bread mixes, dessert fillings, sweets, soups and stews. The seed
contains about 50% oil. The seed is 3 - 4 cm long, 3 - 5 mm thick and enclosed in a thick shell that
is difficult to crack. The seeds are a rich source of zinc.The seeds yield 38 - 54% of a colourless,
bland tasting yellow semi-drying oil that is used in cooking. Rather similar to almond oil, but less
prone to become rancid.

The fruits have a tender skin and a thin layer of subacid juicy flesh. It is often fibrous and not very
tasty in spite of the pleasant smell. The sweetish, fibrous flesh is palatable when very young, and is
usually liked by children.

Medicinal uses

Various parts of the tree, such as the leaves and fruit, contain tannins and are astringent.

The leaves, crushed with Dacrydium elatum and rhizomes of Cyperus rotundus, are combined to
treat dysentery.

The red leaves act as a vermifuge, while the sap of young leaves, cooked with oil from the kernel, is
used to treat leprosy. The juice of the leaves is ingested for coughs. An infusion of the leaves is used to
treat jaundice. The leaves are used to treat indigestion. The young leaves are used to cure headaches
and colic.

Externally, the leaves may be rubbed on breasts to cure pain or, when heated, may be applied to
numb parts of the body. They may be used as a dressing for swollen rheumatic joints. The leaves,
applied to the head and sides, are refreshing and sudorific.

Leaves, bark and fruit are used to treat yaws.

The bark and root bark are useful for bilious fever, diarrhoea, thrush, and as a remedy for sores and
abscesses. The fluid from the bark is used to treat diabetes and as a tonic. An infusion of the bark is used
to treat stomach ache and also as an emetic for infants.

Externally, the bark is used to treat sores, pimples and fungal skin diseases.

The kernel of the fruit mixed with beeswax stops putrid exudation and bloody faeces. It is
recommended as a mild laxative and a galactagogue for women, but too frequent use causes diarrhoea.

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree’s vast root system binds together both sands and poor soils. It has a heavy leaf fall and so is a
good provider of mulch for the protection of the soil. It is a promising species for the reforestation of
sandy areas. Planting the tree can help eradicate Imperata cylindrica and other unwanted aggressive
grasses.

Other Uses

The trunk is a source of gum.

The oil from the seed is used for making soap, but its industrial use is limited by the difficulty in
extracting the kernel.

Bark, leaves, roots and fruit are all important sources of tannin with the astringent bark containing 9 -
23% tannin. The outer shell is also rich in tannin. It is used in leather preparation and as a base for inks;
sometimes the roots and fruits are used for the same purposes.

A black dye that is used to make ink is extracted from the bark and fruit.

A yellow-green dye is obtained from the leaves

The trunk is a source of yellow and black dye.

Wood chips soaked in water give a yellow colour.

A black dye is obtained from the fruit.

The heartwood varies from light to dark brown to reddish brown, and often with irregular darker and
lighter belts; it is not clearly demarcated from the lighter coloured sapwood. The texture is fine to
coarse, the grain crossed and often curly and twisted. The wood is moderately hard; moderately heavy;
strong and pliable; somewhat durable, but very susceptible to termite damage. It seasons well and
works easily. A good quality timber, it is used for cabinet wook, furniture and for the construction of
buildings, boats, bridges, floors, panelling, boxes, crates, planks, carts, wheelbarrows, barrels and water
troughs.