Ijjul / Seaside Indian Oak
Barringtonia racemosa
Also known as Fish-Killer Tree, Freshwater Mangrove, Putat Kampung
- Habit
- Tree
- Flowering
- April-October
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Barringtonia racemosa
- Genus
- Barringtonia
- Family
- Lecythidaceae
- Habit
- Tree
- Habitat
- Along banks of backwaters and mangrove forests
- Distribution
- Indo-Malesia to Polynesia
- Flowering & fruiting
- April-October
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Local Names
- Hindi
- Ijjul, Norvisnee
- Bengali
- সমুদ্রফল samudraphal, kunda, সমুন্দরফল
- Tamil
- arattam, isudaru, isuvaradaru
- Telugu
- కనప, కనపచెట్టు, సముద్రపండు
- Kannada
- ಗಣಿಗಲತೋರ Ganigalatora, kanaginatora, kempuganigilu
- Malayalam
- katampu, samstaravati, samstravadi
- Marathi
- nivar, sadphali
Ijjul in India
This tree, known as Ijjul (Hindi), arattam (Tamil), కనప (Telugu), ಗಣಿಗಲತೋರ Ganigalatora (Kannada), katampu (Malayalam), nivar (Marathi), is typically found close to water. Barringtonia racemosa is found across , typically along riverbanks, swamps and coastal freshwater wetlands.
Uses
Its wood has been used locally for construction, and various parts of the plant have a history of traditional folk use in some coastal communities — an attributed traditional use, not a medical claim.
How to Identify Ijjul
A tree with large, glossy, broad leaves clustered near the branch tips. Its most distinctive feature is a long, trailing, drooping flower spike, sometimes over a metre long, with pink-white flowers that open at night, followed by angular, fibrous-husked fruit.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Seaside Indian oak called in different Indian languages?
- Ijjul (Hindi); arattam (Tamil); కనప (Telugu); ಗಣಿಗಲತೋರ Ganigalatora (Kannada); katampu (Malayalam); nivar (Marathi); সমুদ্রফল samudraphal (Bengali).
- Why is it called a 'freshwater mangrove'?
- Like true coastal mangroves, it's adapted to grow in waterlogged, often flooded ground, but typically in freshwater or brackish wetlands rather than full seawater.
- Why are the flower spikes so long?
- Its drooping, elongated flower spikes maximise the number of night-opening flowers offered to pollinators like moths and bats along a single stalk.
Lecythidaceae
Lecythis Or Brasil Nut Family
Ijjul belongs to the Lecythidaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
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Common plant problems
All plant problem & care guides →More in Lecythidaceae
View all Lecythidaceae →Sources: GBIF — Barringtonia racemosa (India distribution & vernacular names) (CC BY 4.0) · Wikipedia — Barringtonia racemosa (background/comprehension only) (CC BY-SA 4.0)