Barringtonia Speciosa / Fish Poison Tree
Barringtonia asiatica
- Habit
- Tree
- Found in India
- Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Goa & more
How to identify Barringtonia Speciosa
Identify Barringtonia Speciosa by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.
- Look for a tree habit.
- Check the distinctive field mark: Large white-pink flowers with long stamens, toxic seeds (fish poison tree).
- Confirm leaf shape: Obovate.
- Confirm leaf margin: Lobed.
- Confirm flower colour: White.
- Confirm flower arrangement: Raceme.
- In India, compare location records such as Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Kerala and nearby regions.
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Barringtonia asiatica
- Genus
- Barringtonia
- Family
- Lecythidaceae
- Habit
- Tree
- Found in India
- Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Kerala, Karnataka, Puducherry, Telangana
Leaf characters
- Leaf shape
- ObovaterecordedEgg-shaped but broader near the tip rather than the base.“The leaves are obovate, or pear-shaped, being widest at the tip and narrowest at the base.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf margin
- LobedrecordedThe edge is divided into rounded or pointed sections that don't reach the midrib.“The margin is without lobes and the petiole (leaf stalk) is very short or absent.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf surface
- HirsuterecordedCovered in coarse, stiff, bristly hairs.“in longitudinal section it is roughly ovate (heart-shaped) or triangular, with the broadest part at the base attached to the petiole.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Characters marked “recorded” are for Barringtonia Speciosa itself; the rest are typical of the Lecythidaceae family.
Flower & fruit characters
- Flower colour
- Whiterecorded
- Flower arrangement
- RacemerecordedIndividual stalked flowers arranged along a central stem, opening from bottom to top.“Flowers are produced in erect racemes at the ends of the branches, each carrying up to 20 flowers.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Characters marked “recorded” are for Barringtonia Speciosa itself; the rest are typical of the Lecythidaceae family — flowering plants only.
Local Names
- Bengali
- নোনা হিজল, ব্যারিংটোনিয়া এশিয়াটিকা
- Malayalam
- നീർപ്പേഴ്, Barringtonia asiatica, Barringtonia speciosa
About Barringtonia Speciosa
Fish Poison Tree (Barringtonia asiatica) belongs to the Lecythidaceae family, where it grows as a tree. In India it has been recorded in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Goa and 4 other states.
Uses
Locally it is cut for timber and furniture and planted as an ornamental. Parts of this plant are reported as poisonous — treat it as unsafe to eat and wash your hands after handling.
Lecythidaceae
Lecythis Or Brasil Nut Family
Barringtonia Speciosa belongs to the Lecythidaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
Explore the Lecythidaceae familySnap it. Know it.
Point your camera at Barringtonia Speciosa or any plant and SASYA identifies it instantly — on-device, offline, and private.
Common plant problems
If you are starting from symptoms instead of a diagnosis, use the plant disease symptom checker to narrow the cause before treating.
All plant problem & care guides