Native wild edible : Nauclea orientalis

 Native wild edibles, Salvaged, What we grow  No Responses »
Aug 142012
 


Specimen : Wild trees

Habitats : Riverbanks, creek banks and waterways

Local name : Bangkal

Trade names : Leichhardt Pine, Yellow cheesewood

Botanical name : Nauclea orientalis

Family : Rubiaceae

Specimen height : 8-15 meters

Leaf : Ovate, apex acute, base acute to obtuse; Firm, glossy green with prominent veins

Flower : Round, yellow or orange with white spikes

Fruit : Aggregate; Unevenly shaped, greenish brown to
yellow brown

Fruiting season : Fruits seen from July to January

Traits : Conical in form; Evergreen; Fast growing; Medium-sized tree;Water-logging tolerant; Wind hardy

Recommendations : Agroforestry; Erosion control; Honey tree; Living fence; Nurse tree; Ornamental tree; Pioneer species for reforestation purpose; Public gardens; Riparian management; Roadside tree; Shade tree; Timber belt; Urban greening; Windbreak; Wildcrafting

Used for : Fruits are edible but not palatable; Yellow dye obtained from the bark; Bark and leaves have medicinal uses; Wood for light constructions, interior works, furnitures (when properly dried), veneer and plywood, novelties, musical instruments and carving; Pulpwood; Firewood and charcoal

Native range : Southeast Asia (including the Philippines), New Guinea to Australia

National conservation status : Not threatened in the Philippines

Threats : Conversion of woodlands to agricultural, commercial or residential plots; Cutting of wild trees for timber, firewood and the production of charcoal

Further readings :

Philippine Woods : Principal Uses, Distribution & Equivalent Woods in Asia Pacific (A. Ella, A. Tongacan, R. Escobin & F. Pitargue)

Revised Lexicon of Philippine Trees (J. Rojo)

World Agroforestry http://www.worldagroforestry.org/af/treedb/AFTPDFS/Nauclea_orientalis.pdf (385)

The creek and its bounty

 Our Blogs  No Responses »
Aug 132012
 

Rain marks the arrival of many good things; everything seemed to grow faster during this season and the creek never seem to run out of nutrient-rich and freshly oxygenated running water - particularly good for its common inhabitants. Despite the unruly weeds and knee-high grasses, which also seemed to take advantage of the rain, a walk by our muddy creek every now and then to gather the favorite “Susong-palipit” has become an anticipated affair. The rainy months are also the time when the Putat trees (Barringtonia acutangula) showcase their short-lived but magnificent blooms so its not unusual to pluck the hapless snails out of the shallow creek that has been littered with freshly aborted Putat inflorescence. In the past years, the creek has been very generous in providing us with delicious dinner, this year though the snails appear to arrive disturbingly late.

Snail-gathering became an efficient method to interest the kids about the mundane life in the farm, especially the older ones. I never had a hard time inviting my nephew Brix if I say we will collect snails for dinner, otherwise I will have to bribe him. Sometimes if we get lucky, we will also see juvenile Asian box turtles on clearer waters but mudfish fry are common. There are a number of fruiting Tibig (Ficus nota) and Bangkal (Nauclea orientalis) trees that run along our winding creek; the fallen fruits provide wild fodder for the turtles.

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