Statue of Unity – Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat Rain Forest Ektanagar

Barringtonia racemosa

Syn. Eugenia racemosa

IUCN Red List Least Concern (LC)

Local name

  • Powderpuff Mangrove (English)
  • Samundarphal (Hindi)
  • Ambudhiphala (Sanskrit)

Tree type

Evergreen Deciduous
Family: Lecythidaceae
15m

Indicated uses

Medicinal Edible Ornamental Avenue Other

Flowering & fruiting

Flowering Fruiting

Key characters

Barringtonia racemosa bark

Bark

The bark is grayish brown to pink with white blotches and raised dots and lines.

Barringtonia racemosa leaves

Leaves

Alternately arranged leaves are clustered at the ends of branches. They are obovate, 18–32 cm long, 5.5–14.5 cm broad, with leaf-stalks 0.5–1.2 cm long.

Barringtonia racemosa flower

Flower

Pink, borne in pendulous racemes up to 1 m long, with four oval petals and a calyx divided into 2–3 unequal lobes; strongly unpleasant, sweetish-scented.

Barringtonia racemosa fruit / seeds

Fruit / Seeds

Fruits quadrangular, about 6.5 × 4 cm, each containing a single seed surrounded by spongy, fibrous tissue that aids tidal dispersal.

Barringtonia racemosa

Did you know?

Ayurvedic texts mention Nichula/Samudraphala, associated with wetlands and riversides; its seeds are traditionally used in ritual offerings and medicinal formulations.

Distribution

World map showing distribution

Kenya to KwaZulu-Natal and W. Pacific