Barringtonia calyptrata (Miers) R.Br. ex Benth., Queensland Agric. J. 18: 125 (1907)

Synonyms
Barringtonia flava Lauterb.
Butonica calyptrata Miers
Huttum calyptratum (Miers) Britten
Michelia calyptrata (Miers) Kuntze

Diagnostics
Growing in coastal areas, including beach, tidal riversides and mangroves. Relatively small tree, with wood smelling of corned-beef. White flowers in racemes. Fruits fleshy and turning blueish, smelling of mango when ripe.

Description
Small tree up to ca. 10(-30) m tall, sometimes buttressed. Bark surface on larger trees somewhat scalloped. Both inner and outer blazes very fibrous. The wood has a peculiar, corned-beef smell. Twig bark rather strong and fibrous when stripped. The glossy leaves tend to be whorled at the ends of the branches, leaf blade often rather large, about 15-39 x 5-13 cm. Midrib of the leaf also rather strong and fibrous. Lateral veins curving and forming inconspicuous loops inside the blade margin. Old leaves turn red prior to falling. The fragrant white flowers are in long pendulous spikes and appear just prior to the new growth flush. Flowers +/- sessile. Calyx completely fused at the bud stage, shed as a cap or rupturing to form lobes. Petals about 1-3 cm long, white. Stamens numerous, long white. Fruits more or less fleshy when ripe, ovoid or spindle-shaped, about 5-9.5 x 4-6.5 cm, turning blueish and smelling of mango when ripe.

Ecology
A mangrove, or coastal species. Grows in well developed lowland rain forest and beach forest up to ca. 200 m elevation. Fruits eaten by Cassowaries.

Uses
Ornamental. This species has been used as a fish poison. Produces a useful general purpose timber. Also used medicinally against chest pain and fever.

Distribution
New Guinea, Aru Islands and Australia.

Local names
English: China pine, Corned-beef wood, Mango pine, Cassowari pine.