Cynometra cauliflora

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Rosids
Cladus: Eurosids I
Ordo: Fabales

Familia: Fabaceae
Subfamilia: Detarioideae
Tribus: Amherstieae
Genus: Cynometra
Species: Cynometra cauliflora
Name

Cynometra cauliflora L., Sp. Pl.: 382 (1753)

Type: G.E. Rumphius, Herb. Amboin. 1: t. 62 (1741); as Cynomorium (see Knaap-van Meeuwen 1970: 21)

Distribution
Native distribution areas:

Continental: Asia-Tropical
Regional: Malesia
Borneo, Jawa, Malaya, Sulawesi, Sumatera

References: Brummitt, R.K. 2001. TDWG – World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions, 2nd Edition
References
Primary references

Rumphius, G.E. (†) 1741. Herbarium Amboinense, Plurimas conplectens Arbores, Frutices, Herbas, Plantas terrestres & aquaticas, Quae in Amboina, et adjacentibus reperiuntur insulis, Adcuratissime descriptas juxta earum formas, cum diuersis denominationibus cultura, usu, ac virtutibus. Quod & insuper exhibet varia insectorum animaliumque genera, Plurima cum naturalibus eorum figuris depicta. Pars Prima[Vol. 1]. BHL Reference page.
Linnaeus, C. 1753. Species plantarum, exhibentes plantas rite cognitas, ad genera relatas, cum differentiis specificis, nominibus trivialibus, synonymis selectis, locis natalibus, secundum systema sexuale digestas. Tomus I. Pp. [I–XII], 1–560. Impensis Laurentii Salvii, Holmiae [Stockholm]. BHL Reference page.

Additional references

Knaap-van Meeuwen, M.S. 1970. A revision of four genera of the tribe Leguminosae-Caesalpinioideae-Cynometreae in Indomalesia and the Pacific. Blumea: Biodiversity, Evolution and Biogeography of Plants 18(1): 1-52. PDF Open access Reference page.

Links

Govaerts, R. et al. 2021. Cynometra cauliflora in Kew Science Plants of the World online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 2021 July 5. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2021. Cynometra cauliflora. Published online. Accessed: 5 July 2021.
Tropicos.org 2021. Cynometra cauliflora. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published online. Accessed: 5 July 2021.
USDA, ARS, Germplasm Resources Information Network. Cynometra cauliflora in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. Accessed: 5 July 2021.

Vernacular names
Bahasa Indonesia: Namnam
日本語: ナムナムノキ
Nederlands: Namnam
русский: Цинометра стволоцветная
ไทย: อัมพวา

Cynometra cauliflora, known in Indonesia (Maluku and Manado) as namu-namu (due to the flattened, crescent shaped pods, which look similar to the Indonesian pastry, namu-namu), Ternate namo-namo, and ñam-ñam in the Maldives is a species of the genus Cynometra, native to Malaysia, and found mainly in northern Peninsular Malaysia. A member of the family Fabaceae (legumes), it is a small, cauliflorous tree with a thick, heavily branched stem, and rather small flowers, about 1.2 cm (0.5 in) across, that appear on the stem in clusters.

Foliage

Each leaf is made up of 2 leaflets, which if not examined closely may appear as two leaves. The leaflet is asymmetrical in shape measuring 5–15 cm (2–6 in) long and 2.5–7.5 cm (1–3 in) wide. They are glossy and smooth, dark green with pale green undersides, and are a rosy pink when young.
Fruits
The fruit of Cynometra cauliflora.

The fruits are kidney-shaped, 5–10 cm (2–4 in) long and 5 cm (2 in). The pod does not split open readily, but a line is visible along the fruit and divides it into two. The texture of the skin is coriaceous and uneven, colored a pale greenish/yellow to brown. The pod is edible, with aromatic and juicy yellow pulp, and relatively large seeds.
Propagation
The tree is usually grown from seed, although it can be propagated by budding, approach grafting and other methods.