Barringtonia asiatica

{{short description|Species of plant}} {{for|the settlement in the Philippines|Putat, Cebu}} {{for|the village in Brunei|Kampong Putat}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Speciesbox |image = Barringtonia speciosa Blanco2.305.png |image_caption = Illustration from ''Flora de Filipinas'' by Francisco Manuel Blanco |status = LC |status_system = IUCN3.1 |status_ref = {{R|IUCN}} |taxon = Barringtonia asiatica |authority = (L.) Kurz{{R|POWO}} |synonyms_ref = {{R|POWO|WFO}} |synonyms = {{Collapsible list |title = 13 synonyms |bullets = true |''Agasta asiatica'' (L.) Miers |''Agasta indica'' Miers |''Agasta splendida'' Miers |''Barringtonia butonica'' J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. |''Barringtonia levequii'' Jard. ''nom. nud.'' |''Barringtonia littorea'' Oken ''nom. illeg.'' |''Barringtonia senequei'' Jard. |''Barringtonia speciosa'' J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. |''Butonica speciosa'' (J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.) Lam. |''Huttum speciosum'' (J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.) Britten |''Mammea asiatica'' L. |''Michelia asiatica'' (L.) Kuntze |''Mitraria commersonia'' J.F.Gmel. }} }} [[File:Barringtonia-asiatica-SF24176-01.jpg|thumb|Small tree on the waterfront in Cairns, Queensland]]

'''''Barringtonia asiatica''''', known variously as '''fish poison tree''', '''putat''' and '''beach Barringtonia''' among other names, is a species of plants in the brazil nut family Lecythidaceae. It is native to coastal habitats from Tanzania and Madagascar in the west to tropical Asia, northern Australia, and islands of the western Pacific Ocean. It was described by Wilhelm Sulpiz Kurz in 1875 and has a conservation status of least concern. It has been used by a number of traditional cultures as a fish poison.

==Description== This is a tree which will usually grow to a height of about {{cvt|20|m}}, occasionally to {{cvt|30|m}}, and a trunk diameter of up to {{cvt|30|cm}} diameter. The trunk is irregularly shaped and often leaning, the bark is dark and coarse. The leaves are {{botanygloss|obovate}}, or pear-shaped, being widest at the tip and narrowest at the base. They are glossy green and somewhat waxy, and may reach up to about {{cvt|40|cm}} long and {{cvt|20|cm}} wide. The margin is without lobes and the petiole (leaf stalk) is very short or absent.{{R|FOA|FOC|NPSING|PNGTREES}}

Flowers are produced in erect racemes at the ends of the branches, each carrying up to 20 flowers. The calyx is completely fused while the bud forms, and splits into two uneven parts when the flower opens. It remains attached even after the fruit has matured. The flowers are large, showy and fragrant, with numerous long stamens which are white at the base and pink/purple at the tip. There are four white petals and the entire flower is about {{cvt|15|cm}} in diameter.{{R|RFK|FOA|FOC}}

The fruit is large and somewhat pyramid-shaped. In cross section it is more or less square; in longitudinal section it is roughly {{botanygloss|ovate}} (heart-shaped) or triangular, with the broadest part at the base attached to the petiole. They measure about {{cvt|11|cm}} long and {{cvt|9|cm}} wide, and they contain one or (rarely) two seeds.{{R|RFK|FOA|FOC}}

==Taxonomy== This species was first described in 1753 as ''Mammea asiatica'' by Carl Linnaeus, based on material collected from Java by Pehr Osbeck, a Swedish naturalist and one of Linnaeus' apostles.{{R|LINNAEUS|trop3}} It was transferred to the genus ''Barringtonia'' (which at the time was variously placed in either Myrtaceae, Lecythidaceae or Barringtoniaceae){{R|PAYENS}} by the German botanist Wilhelm Sulpiz Kurz in 1875.{{R|KURZ}} A number of other botanists have collected specimens of this plant and described them under different names, all of which are now recognised as synonyms (see synonyms list).{{R|POWO|WFO}}

===Etymology=== The genus name was created to honour the English lawyer, antiquary and naturalist, Daines Barrington,{{R|FORSTER}} while the species epithet ''asiatica'' refers to the region where this species is found.{{R|FOA}}

===Vernacular names=== Due to its wide distribution, this species is known by many different names in different regions. In Australia it is called beach Barringtonia, mango pine, mango bark and box fruit.{{R|RFK|FOA}} In Malaya and Singapore it is called ''Putat laut''; in Indonesia and Borneo it is known as ''Butun'', ''Butun alas'' and other variations; in the Andaman Islands it is referred to as ''Kyee-bin''; it is called ''bonnet d'évêque'' (bishop's hat) in New Caledonia; in the Cook Islands it is ''<nowiki />'Utu'', and may be called ''hutu'', ''wutu'' or ''futu'' in other Polynesian cultures.{{R|NPSING|COOK|ENDEMIA}}{{R|PAYENS|p=188}}

==Distribution and habitat== thumb|Trunks and habit

''Barringtonia asiatica'' is native to tropical coastlines from Tanzania and Madagascar to India, Southeast Asia, Australia, the Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Fiji and many other islands of the western Pacific Ocean, and it has been introduced to the Cayman Islands, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, the Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico, Trinidad-Tobago and the Windward Islands.{{R|POWO}} It inhabits beaches and coastal forests at altitudes up to {{cvt|100|m}}.{{R|RFK|FOA|NPSING}}

==Conservation== The International Union for Conservation of Nature has given this species a conservation rating of least concern globally,{{R|IUCN}} however in Singapore it is locally classified as critically endangered.{{R|NPSING}}

==Ecology== The night-opening flowers of this tree are pollinated by bats and moths.{{R|NPSING}}{{R|FLM|p=2}} The fruit have a thick spongy layer around the seed, making them very buoyant and allowing them to be dispersed by ocean currents. In testing it has been shown that they can remain afloat for up to fifteen years, although in the ocean most will only survive for up to two years. They have been found on beaches as far away as Ireland and the Netherlands, and it was one of the first plants to colonise the island of Anak Krakatau after the massive eruption in 1883.{{R|PAYENS|p=187}}{{R|QUIGLEY}}

==Toxicity== The plant is highly toxic to humans.{{R|COOK|LASSAK}}

==Uses== Many traditional cultures have used the bark and seeds as a fish poison – they are crushed or pounded to release the saponins contained within, and then placed in slow moving freshwater streams or coral lagoons. The fish are quickly killed or stunned, but the mechanism is not fully understood.{{R|TFSS|FOA}}{{R|FLM|p=8}}

The fruit have been used as floats for fishing nets.{{R|FOA|PIKE}} The timber is not very hardy and thus has limited use.{{R|PAYENS|TFSS}}{{R|FLM|p=28}}

The bark, leaves and fruit have been used for medical complaints such as headaches, backaches, sores, and bad dreams.{{R|PAYENS|COOK|FLM|TFSS}}

==Cultivation== This tree has ornamental flowers and foliage and provides good shade, and it has been widely planted in tropical parks and gardens.{{R|NPSING|PROSEA}} In the city of Cairns, Australia, close to 100 have planted in the streets and parks.{{R|TREEPLOTTER}}

==Gallery== {{gallery|mode=packed|height=140 |File:BarringtoniaAsiatica.jpg|Foliage and flower buds |File:Barringtonia asiatica - twin flower.JPG|Flowers |File:Fish-killer tree (439413766).jpg|Developing fruit |File:Barringtonia-asiatica-SF25151-06.jpg|Leaf and fruit |File:Barringtonia-asiatica-SF25155-01.jpg|Fresh seed }}

==References== {{Reflist|28em|refs= <ref name="POWO">{{cite web |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:469061-1 |title=''Barringtonia asiatica'' (L.) Kurz |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |year=2024 |access-date=27 June 2024}}</ref>

<ref name="WFO">{{cite web |url=https://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-0000774825 |title=''Barringtonia asiatica'' Kurz |website=World Flora Online |publisher=World Flora Online Consortium |date=2024 |access-date=27 June 2024}}</ref>

<ref name="FORSTER">{{cite book |last1=Forster |first1=Johann Reinhold |last2=Forster |first2=Georg |title=Characteres generum plantarum, quas in itinere ad insulas maris Australis,: collegerunt, descripserunt, delinearunt, annis |date=1776 |location=London |page=76 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/3590578 |lang=la |access-date=26 June 2024}}</ref>

<ref name="FOA">{{cite web |url=https://profiles.ala.org.au/opus/foa/profile/Barringtonia%20asiatica |title=''Barringtonia asiatica'' |last1=Henderson |first1=R.J.F. |last2=Telford |first2=I.R.H. |last3=Kodela |first3=P.G. |year=2022 |editor-last1=Kodela |editor-first1=P.G. |website=Flora of Australia |publisher=Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra |access-date=27 June 2024}}</ref>

<ref name="LINNAEUS">{{cite book |last1=Linnaeus |first1=Carl |title=Species plantarum |date=1753 |location=Stockholm |pages=512–513 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/358531 |access-date=27 June 2024}}</ref>

<ref name=trop3>{{ cite web |url=http://www.tropicos.org/Name/7801014 |title=Name - ''Mammea asiatica'' L. |work=Tropicos |publisher=Missouri Botanical Garden |location=Saint Louis, Missouri |access-date=November 1, 2011}}</ref>

<ref name="KURZ">{{cite book |last1=Kurz |first1=Wilhelm Sulpiz |title=Preliminary report on the forest and other vegetation of Pegu |date=1873 |publisher=C.B. Lewis, Baptist Mission Press |location=Kolkata |page=52 |doi=10.5962/bhl.title.25981 |doi-access=free |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/20783718 |chapter=Appendix B. General key to the Burmese trees}}</ref>

<ref name="FOC">{{cite web |title=''Barringtonia asiatica'' (Linnaeus) Kurz |url=http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200014675 |website=Flora of China (eFloras) |publisher=Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA. |access-date=27 June 2024}}</ref>

<ref name="NPSING">{{cite web |title=''Barringtonia asiatica'' (L.) Kurtz |url=https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/2/7/2744 |website=Flora and Fauna Web |publisher=Singapore Government |access-date=26 April 2025 }}</ref>

<ref name="IUCN">{{cite iucn |author=Razafiniary, V. |date=2021 |title=''Barringtonia asiatica'' |volume=2021 |article-number=e.T31339A166509744 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T31339A166509744.en |access-date=31 May 2025}}</ref>

<ref name="RFK">{{cite web |url=https://apps.lucidcentral.org/rainforest/text/entities/Barringtonia_asiatica.htm |title=''Barringtonia asiatica'' |author1=F.A.Zich |author2=B.P.M.Hyland |author3=T.Whiffen |author4=R.A.Kerrigan |author2-link=Bernard Hyland |year=2020 |website=Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants Edition 8 (RFK8) |publisher=Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government |access-date=31 May 2025}}</ref>

<ref name="PNGTREES">{{cite web |last1=Conn |first1=B. |last2=Damas |first2=K. |title=''Barringtonia asiatica'' (L.) Kurz |url=https://www.pngplants.org/PNGtrees/TreeDescriptions/Barringtonia_asiatica_L_Kurz.html |website=PNG Trees Key |access-date=31 May 2025}}</ref>

<ref name="PAYENS">{{cite journal |last1=Payens |first1=J.P.D.W. |title=A monograph of the genus ''Barringtonia'' (Lecythidaceae) |journal=Blumea |date=1967 |volume=15 |issue=2 |page=160 |url=https://repository.naturalis.nl/pub/525528}}</ref>

<ref name="QUIGLEY">{{cite journal |title=First records of ''Barringtonia asiatica'' (Lecythidaceae) from UK waters and a review of north-western European records |date=2014 |last1=Quigley |first1=D. T. G. |last2=Gainey |first2=P. A. |last3=Dinsdale |first3=A. |journal=New Journal of Botany |volume=4 |issue=2 |pages=107–109 |doi=10.1179/2042349714Y.0000000042 |bibcode=2014NJBot...4..107Q }}</ref>

<ref name="FLM">{{cite journal |last1=Prance |first1=G.T. |last2=Kartawinata |first2=E.K. |title=Lecythidaceae |journal=Flora Malesiana - Series 1, Spermatophyta |date=January 2013 |volume=21 |issue=1 |pages=1–118 |url=https://repository.naturalis.nl/pub/579375 }}</ref>

<ref name="COOK">{{cite web |last1=McCormack |first1=Gerald |title=Barringtonia asiatica |url=http://cookislands.bishopmuseum.org/species.asp?id=5803 |website=Cook Islands Biodiversity Database |publisher=Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga |access-date=4 June 2025}}</ref>

<ref name="TFSS">{{cite book |last1=Pinard |first1=Michelle A. |editor1-last=Soepadmo |editor1-first=E. |editor2-last=Wong |editor2-first=K.M. |editor3-last=Chung |editor3-first=R.C.K. |title=Tree Flora of Sabah and Sarawak: Volume 4 |chapter=Lecythidaceae |date=2002 |publisher=Sabah Forestry Department, Malaysia; Forest Research Institute, Malaysia; Sarawak Forestry Department, Malaysia |location=Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |isbn=983-2181-27-5 |page=108 |url=https://myflora.frim.gov.my/ |access-date=4 June 2025}}</ref>

<ref name="LASSAK">{{cite book |last1=Lassak |first1=Erich V. |last2=McCarthy |first2=Tara |date=1990 |title=Australian Medicinal Plants |url= |location=Melbourne |publisher=Mandarin |page=168 |isbn=1-86330-061-9}}</ref>

<ref name="ENDEMIA">{{cite web |url=https://endemia.nc/en/flore/fiche4023 |title=''Barringtonia asiatica'' (L.) Kurz |year=2025 |website=Endemia.nc, Fauna and Flora of New Caledonia |access-date=4 June 2025}}</ref>

<ref name="PIKE">{{cite book |last1=Pike |first1=G.D. |last2=Leach |first2=G.J. |title=Handbook of the Vascular Plants of Ashmore and Cartier Islands |page=114 |date=1997 |publisher=Parks Australia |location=Canberra |isbn=0-7245-2759-1}}</ref>

<ref name="TREEPLOTTER">{{cite web |title=TreePlotter |url=https://au.pg-cloud.com/Cairns/ |website=Cairns Regional Council's Street and Park Tree Database |access-date=6 June 2025}}</ref>

<ref name="PROSEA">{{cite web |last1=Yaplito |first1=M.A. |title=Barringtonia asiatica (L.) Kurz |date=2001 |url=https://prosea.prota4u.org/view.aspx?id=939 |website=Plant Resources of South-East Asia |publisher=PROSEA Foundation |location=Bogor, Indonesia}}</ref> }}

asiatica Category:Flora of tropical Asia Category:Flora of the Pacific Category:Flora of the Western Indian Ocean Category:Trees of Taiwan Category:Flora of the Zanzibar Archipelago Category:Flora of Queensland Category:Ericales of Australia Category:Plants described in 1753 Category:Botanical taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Category:Flora of the Northern Territory Category:Taxa named by Wilhelm Sulpiz Kurz