Takamaka (tree)

Etymology

The term “takamaka” drift of a word in Nahuatl which indicated the odorous resin extracted from American trees of the family of the Burseraceae (probably Protium heptaphyllum , other trees of the same family also producing such a resin). By analogy, one called “tacamahaca of the Eastern Indies” the resin extracted the Calophyllum then takamaka the trees themselves.

The scientific name comes from the Greek : the name of the kind comes from “kalos” (beautiful) and “phullon” (sheet) and the name of the species comes from “is” (fiber) and “phullon” in reference to the veins fine but marked on the lower part of the sheets.

Vernacular names

The takamaka bears various names according to the languages used for the désigner :

The tree is also called differently according to the geographical areas where it is présent :

takamaka with the Seychelles and in the Mascareignes;
takamaka seaside with the Meeting;
foraha with Madagascar;
ball nut in Australia;
me trondro with Mayotte;
beach calophyllum in New Guinea-News-Guinea;

Poon is the trade name of the takamaka.

Another endemic species of takamaka of Mascareignes, the Calophyllum tacamahaca , is also called there takamaka but to differentiate it, it is specified whereas it is about the Takamaka the Tops.

Physical characteristics

The takamaka is appeared as a Arbre high from eight to twenty meters (up to twenty-five meters) and to the foliage reaching sometimes thirty-five meters in diameter.

Its trunk is tortuous, sometimes leaning, measuring up to one meter and half of diameter and cover of a bark lasts taking a color yellow-ocher outside but becoming thick, tender, laminated, pink or red but browning with the sun inside.

The crown, of conical form to hemispherical, is made of round branches presenting a square section when they are young. The final buds are globulous and measure four to nine millimetres length.

The Feuille S are green dark, elliptic, thick, smooth, waxed, measuring from eight to twenty centimetres length on average (5,5 at least and 23 at the most), six to nine centimetres of width, deprived of Stipule S and with the veins secondary fines, parallels and visible on the lower face.

The Inflorescence final, generally not is ramified (to the maximum three branches) and forms a bunch from five to fifteen Fleur S (to the maximum thirty). The flower, slightly scented, made up of a spiral Périanthe formed of eight Pétale S white (maximum thirteen), many cheesecloth S yellows is grouped by four and of Anthère S of yellow, khaki or brown color. It is generally sexuée but sometimes hermaphrodite.

The ovary is round, pink, shining and is transformed into spherical Fruit (Drupe) from two to five centimetres in diameter, with the skin varying of the green to brown, smooth, mean, surrounding a hard shell and containing a single Graine protected by a spongy layer. The seed, of two to four centimetres in diameter and brown, is made up of two large Cotylédon S and of a Radicule.

The tree produces a sticking, opaque latex and of white, cream-coloured or yellow color.

Geographical distribution and habitat

The takamaka is originating in the littorals of Eastern Africa, of southernmost India, the West Indies and Australia. It is now present on the majority of the circumference of the Indian Ocean, in Oceania and more locally in the Atlantic Ocean (Nigeria, Aruba, Puerto Rico and Florida). It is planted on the American continent, with Zanzibar and in Uganda (shores of the Lake Victoria).

The takamaka is a tree pushing in xerophitic mediums. It affectionate tropical littorals located above the zone of Marée and composed of Sable, of Calcaire even of Argile if they are well drained. It is sometimes met inside the grounds when the grounds are sandy but never beyond 800 meters of Altitude under the equator (200 meters with Hawaii). It has need for wet grounds (although it supports a surface Sécheresse) and Acide (pH ranging between 7,4 and 4). He appreciates the mouths river where the Nutriment S are abundant, the Lumière and tolerates water Saumâtre S and projections of salt water.

The takamaka pushes between 0 and 800 meters of altitude where the annual Température S oscillate between 18 and 33°C and the annual Précipitation S lie between 1 000 and 5 000 millimetres. It tolerates temperatures ranging between 12 and 17°C during the cold season and 22 with 37°C during the hot season but it does not resist temperatures lower than 8°C. Its privileged grounds are of C type;: it will thrive close to the coasts, where the grounds are deep and as much as possible charged out of sand. It is very sensitive to the freezing and the Feu but tolerates four to five months of dryness.

Its capacity with becoming invading is considered to be low more especially as it affectionate step the presence too close to other trees.

Reproductive biology

The Pollinisation is made by entomogamy without preference for the pollinating type of .

The takamaka is likely to flower throughout the year but the period of flowering varies according to the geographical areas, occurring generally twice a year : at the end of spring and at the beginning of the summer in the Northern hemisphere and in January and in June in the southern hemisphere. In India, it is held in May and June and sometimes in November.

It is suspected that the practical takamaka the Apomixie because its fruits appear throughout the year even except period of flowering. Those are disseminated by bat Frugivore and by the current sailors but the majority of the Germination S are done with the feet of the tree mother. The Graine does not germinate immediately, the bark of the fruit being very hard this one must soften or break up as a preliminary. However, the seed germinates without difficulties if this one is extracted from the fruit and is planted in the shade, which made it possible to reduce the period of germination from 57 to 22 days and to increase the rate of germination from 63 to 93%.

The takamaka is fragile and sensitive to the too strong wind. With Zanzibar, it is planted on coral grounds where it grows of 90 centimetres per annum and where the size is necessary until the arrival to maturity. In Indonesia, spacing between the trees is from two to three meters and the moderate size and the selective removal of the seedlings undesirable increase growth rate there.

The storage of the seeds (200 per kilogram) is difficult because they are oily and lose their germinatif capacity quickly.

The growth rate of the takamaka is of one meter per annum on average in the first years for then strongly decreasing. A trunk 50 centimetres in diameter requires 70 years of growth under the equator.

Diseases

The sheets and the starts-up are the parts most vulnerable of the tree vis-a-vis the devastating . The mushroom Fungus dochmium attacks the takamaka by causing the putrefaction its roots. In India, a mushroom named Trichocoma species attacks the trees and kills them.

Uses

Human consumption

The fruit is edible and generally consumed marinaded but it must be cooked carefully because it contains Toxine S.

Construction and industry

The Wood of the takamaka, with the fine grain, is generally densest, heaviest and most resistant of all the wood of the kind Calophyllum . The Aubier yellow with brown and slightly rosy and is well differentiated from the Duramen which takes a brown color. Wood has a Densité from 560 to 800 kilograms per cubic meter and a energy value of 19 100 kJ /kg.

The wood of takamaka is used as universal material of construction in the naval field, in the cabinet work (Menuiserie, Musical instruments, Pipe S, kitchen utensils, etc) where he is very appreciated for his brown-reddish wood, in the Charpente S and as a cross-pieces of railroad.

The Tannin S, concentrated in the bark but also the Sheet S, its extracts by Decoction and used to harden and dye the fishing nets. Lipide S of the tree is drawn oil domba or fucked or dilo : an oil malodorous, viscous, variable of yellow-bluish with the dark green, made up of acids oleic, palmitic, stearic and linoleic and used to manufacture Soap, for lighting, in traditional medicine or for the stopping-up of the boats when it is mixed with resin of Vateria indica . Of this oil can be extracted 10 to 30% from a resin (giving him its bad smell) which is used like varnished. Oil and the latex of takamaka were used to dye clothing with Java.

The sheets of takamaka contain Saponine and Cyanure of hydrogen, two toxic substances used for the fishing. The latex is as for him rich in derived coumarinic with the properties Insecticide S or Piscicide S. wood and the bark contain large varieties of Xanthone S of which one of it, the Jacareubine, is practically produced only by the kind Calophyllum .

Pharmacopeia

An oil extracted the fruit is used as remedy against the rheumatisms, the Ulcère S, the Brûlure S and the skin diseases. The bark, with the astringent virtues , is used in Décoction mixed with latex to fight against the Diarrhée S, the skin diseases and of the eyes, against rheumatisms or to help the mother after a Accouchement. The flowers, the sheets and the seeds are sometimes also employed in traditional medicines.

Oils of the takamaka are the subject today of an industrial production to make of them Cosmétique S or Médicament S in the Pacifique South.

Ecological uses

The takamaka is used in Reboisement to fight against the coastal erosion and of large plantations even allow to limit certain effects of the Cyclone S (swell of storm) or of the Tsunami S. It is also appreciated for the Décomposition of its sheets and its fruits which are used like Engrais or Humus but also for its shade and its decorative character.

The fruit is also burned to push back the mosquitos.

Cultural role

The takamaka belongs to the daily use of the inhabitants of the Pacific. It is in particular planted to announce the presence of a place crowned (Temple, mythical place, etc) in the Pacific Islands. Its wood is used to manufacture objects of the everyday life (kitchen utensils, etc) and cultural (Musical instruments and religious, etc).

Takamaka the Tops ( Calophyllum tacamahaca )

Sources

World Agroforestry Centers - Calophyllum inophyllum
Agroforestry - Calophyllum inophyllum

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