Lepisanthes alata (Blume) Leenh., Blumea 17: 80 (1969)

Synonyms
Capura alata (Blume) Teijsm. & Binn.
Otolepis alata (Blume) Kuntze
Otophora alata Blume
Otophora edulis C.E.C. Fischer

Description
Tree, up to 15 m high, dbh up to 30 cm, or shrub. Leaves paripinnate, 3-5(-13)-jugate, 20-45 cm (to more than 1 m long), glabrous; petiole angular above, exceptionally flat to rounded, 1.5-7.5(-25) cm long; wings of petiole and rachis 3-8 mm wide; pseudo-stipules obliqueovate, l-3(-8.5) by 0.8-2. 2(-5) cm, base deeply cordate, apex obtuse, sometimes acuminate, penninerved. Leaflets opposite (to alternate), sessile or petiolules up to 2 mm long, lanceolate (exceptionally linear-lanceolate or oblong to obovateoblong, lower sometimes ovate-lanceolate), 10-20(45) by 1.8-4(-8) cm, index (3-)4-7(-14), thinchartaceous, above greyish to blackish brown, beneath brown to greyish green; base mostly hardly oblique, acute and sometimes tapering, in oblique leaflets one half or both halves rounded; apex tapering long acuminate, acute; midrib beneath mostly acute, nerves l-1.5(-2) cm apart, angle to midrib 55-70 degrees, curved, at least those in the upper half of the leaflet looped and joined near the margin. Inflorescence often drooping, in vivo often purple to reddish brown, apparently mostly unisexual, though male and female ones on the same trees: male: usually axillary, narrowly thyrsoid. unbranched, 20-25(-40) cm long, with scattered, sessile fascicles of 3-5(-7) flowers on 2-7 mm long pedicels: female: either in the lower leaf-axils, or rami- or caulitlorous, at least near the base with some branches about equalling the rachis, up to 45 cm long, with scattered, mostly solitary flowers on 6-13 mm long pedicels. Flowers in vivo dark winered to purple. Sepals obovate-orbicular, 2.5-4 by 2-3 mm, outer slightly smaller than inner, inner partly petaloid with crenulate margin, all sparsely glandular-ciliolate. Petals sessile, sparsely, partly glandular, ciliolate, glabrous or rarely sparsely appressed short-hairy outside in the basal half; blade suborbicular, up to 4 by 3 mm, scale erect, slightly hood-shaped, 1/3-1/5 as long as blade, glabrous. Disc glabrous, pink. Stamens 8: anthers 1 .8 mm, subglabrous, yellow with white pollen. Ovary ellipsoid, 3-(or4-)celled, pale mauve: style very short, stigma dome-shaped to flat, slightly 3-lobed, white. Infructescences with patent, up to 2 cm long, slender pedicels. Fruits shortly stipitate, trigonousobovoid, 2.5-4 by 2.2-3 cm, apiculate, apparently dark brownish purple to nearly black when ripe, pulp rather thick, fleshy, white. Seeds ellipsoid, up to 2.5 by 1.5 cm. hilum rhomboid, 6 by 5 mm. [From Flora Malesiana}

Ecology
In and along forests, on river banks, etc.; on clay; altitude up to 500 m asl.

Uses
The fruits and possibly also the seeds are eaten: in Sumatra, Java, and Borneo sometimes grown as a fruit tree.

Distribution
Peninsular Malaysia, Java, Borneo, the Philippines. Occasionally also cultivated.

Local names
Indonesia: cereme landa, ki angir (Sundanese), blimbing cina (Javanese).
Malaysia: perupok.