Appearance & recognition
Nyirih is a Meliaceae mangrove with pale flaking bark and spreading buttress roots. Pinnate leaves carry several leathery leaflets. Large woody fruits open into sections, releasing angular seeds with corky coats. Their cannonball-like appearance explains the common name, but these capsules are not edible citrus fruits despite their rounded size and outline.
Sources & references · 1
National Parks Board Singapore · Xylocarpus granatum — Flora & Fauna WebMaterials & other uses
Wood has boat-building uses, while bark tannins have been used in dyeing and treating fishing nets. Those material traditions are distinct from food use. The tree grows in estuarine mangrove forest and has insect-pollinated flowers. Its leaf, root and fruit structures broaden the view beyond the arching roots of Rhizophora, the best-known mangrove image.
Sources & references · 1
National Parks Board Singapore · Xylocarpus granatum — Flora & Fauna WebConnections with animals
A survey at Sebubus in Sambas, West Kalimantan, identifies this tree among the preferred food plants of proboscis monkeys and records shoots as the eaten part.
