Nephelium ramboutan-ake (Labill.) Leenh., Blumea 31 (1986)

Latin for the local name of this species 'rambutan'.

Synonyms
Euphoria ramboutan-ake (Labill.) Labill.
Litchi ramboutan-ake Labill.
Nephelium glabrum var. album Hassk.
Nepehlium glabrum var. nigrum Hassk.
Nephelium glabrum var. rubrum Hassk.
Nephelium intermedium Radlk.
Nephelium mutabile Blume
Nephelium mutabile var. rigida Blume
Nephelium mutabile var. trigyna Blume
Nephelium philipinnense Monsalud et al.

Description
Tree, up to 24 m tall, trunk 45 cm in diameter, buttresses up to 1.5 m tall. Leaves (1-)3-7(-18)-jugate, petiole 3-9 cm long, petiolules 2-4 mm; leaflets 5-11 cm x 1.5-3.5 cm, 2.5-6 times as long as wide. Inflorescences terminal and axillary; petals absent; stamens 5-6, pistil 1-2-merous. Fruit ellipsoid to subglobular, 3 cm x 2.25 cm, sparsely set with thick warts tapering into up to 7.5-mm long appendages, red. N. ramboutan-ake is a variable species and may closely resemble N. lappaceum. The spines on the fruits are usually short and stubby in N. ramboutan-ake and long filiform in N. lappaceum. Seedlings of N. juglandifolium and N. ramboutan-ake differ in being semi-hypogeal and in having tardily emergent cotyledons. [from www.worldagroforestry.org]

Ecology
In undisturbed to slightly disturbed (open sites) mixed dipterocarp and sub-montane forests up to 1300 m altitude. Usually on alluvial sites and along rivers and streams, but also on ridges. On sandy to clay soils. In secondary forests usually present as a pre-disturbance remnant.

Uses
Commonly cultivated for the edible fruits. The wood is used in general construction work. The roots are used to treat fever. The roasted seeds can be eaten and an oil is extracted from them.

Distribution
India, Indo-China, Burma, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Borneo (throughout the island), Philippines, Celebes.

Local names
Borneo: Burugal, Melenjau, Mujau, Pudun, Pulasan.
Burma: kyetmauk.
Indonesia: pulasan (Sundanese).
Malaysia: meritam (Sabah, Sarawak).
Philippines: karayo (Tagalog).
Singapore: pulasan.