More or less deciduous large tree, up to 60 m and 1.5 m diam.; bole straight with very prominent, thin, steep buttresses; bark grey, sometimes peeling off in large pieces. Leaves elliptic-oblong to lanceolate, slightly acuminate, broad-cuneate to roundish, or even subcordate at the base, distinctly prominent-reticulate-veined at either side, 8-20 by 2.5-9 em; petiole 1-2 cm. Stipules surrounding the buds as a sharp, narrow-conical cap up to 3(-4) cm long. Panicles 5-15 cm long. Bracts ovate, acute, c. 1.5 mm. Pedicels up to 3(-5) mm, articulate at the base. Flowers glabrous, greenish-white or yellowish. Calyx c. 1.5 mm long, the lobes rounded, with membranous margin, c. 1 by ¾-1 mm. Petals elliptic-oblong, rounded, finely reticulate, c. 3-4 by 2 mm, spreading finally or reflexed and with often involute margin in the upper half. Disk plicate outside and with sinuous margin, apex excavated in the middle. Filaments sinuous in bud, 3-6 mm, their base situated in the concavities of the disk; anthers c. 0.5 by 0.5 mm. Ovary c. 1 mm high, style 1-2 mm, sinuous in bud. Drupe with thick, fleshy, very fibrous, orange exocarp and hard endocarp, somewhat flattened-ellipsoid, up to 6 by 4 cm when dry. Seed with small albumen, only at the back of the cotyledons.
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A large tree 15-30 m tall. The trunk is 40-60 cm across. The trunk is usually angular at the base. The bark is smooth and can peel off in large pieces. The leaves are simple and oval. They are smooth and shiny on the upper surface and covered with very short hairs underneath. Leaves are 8-20 cm long by 2.5-9 cm wide. The leaf stalk is 9-14 mm long. The flower panicle is in the axils of leaves. It is 5-15 cm long. The flowers are about 2.5 mm long. The petals are white and it has a smell. The fruit is fleshy with a stone inside. The fruit is oval and 3-6 cm long by 4 cm wide. It has one seed. The fruit is yellow when mature.
Uses. The yellow-coloured wood is too hard to manufacture, and, besides, not very durable. MAINGAY recorded its use for making kris-handles and FOXWORTHY for handles of tapping knives ( BURKILL Dict. 2 1935 1251 ).The seeds contain a white or sometimes yellow fat with an agreeable smell and taste, which is known as 'dika' fat in Europe and is used for making soap, wax, and candles. The seeds are also eaten ( HEYNE Nutt. Pl. 1927 872 FOXWORTHY Mal. For. Rec. 8 1930 26 BURKILL Dict. 2 1935 1251 ).
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The kernel of the seed is eaten roasted. The ripe fruit is sweet and edible.
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