Genus Allophylus Rank Species | ||
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Similar Allophylus, Allophylus zeylanicus, Allophylus edulis, Arytera, Lepisanthes | ||
Allophylus cobbe (titberry) is a plant bearing alternately and spirally arranged ternate leaves belonging to Sapindaceae family. The edible fruit is three chambered like Sapindus trifoliatus.
Contents
Distribution
Allophyllus cobbe is a variable plant with a broad distribution in India, South Africa, South America, Southeast Asia, and Papua New Guinea.
Description
The plants size is 10 metres (33 ft) high and 13 m (43 ft) in width. It has no stipules. The leaves of a plant are trifoliolate, while the leaflets are penni-veined, and could be from densely to glabrous hairy. The flower size is approximately 3 millimetres (0.12 in) in diameter, and are yellow-whitish coloured. The fruits are red in colour and are 8 mm (0.31 in) in diameter.
Ecology
The plant grows in mixed dipterocarp. It can also be found in coastal and sub-montane forests at the altitude of 1,700 m (5,600 ft). It grow commonly along the rivers and streams (tidal included), on hillsides, and forest edges. Also it grows on sandy or clay soils, and can also be found on limestone and ultrabasic grounds. It does exist as a pre-disturbance remnant in secondary forests.
Uses
The plant can be used for roofing, firewood and bows. It can also be used for making rafts and fish traps. The bark, roots and leaves of the tree could be used to treat fever and stomach ache. The fruits, although edible, could be used as fish poison.
Other names of a plant
In Borneo the plant is called pamaman.