Euphorbiaceae Fortnight: Aleurites moluccana (L.) Willd. from Delhi-GS-53

[Gurcharan Singh]

Aleurites moluccana (L.) Willd., Sp. pl. 4(1):590. 1805 "moluccana"

Syn: Aleurites javanicus Gand  Aleurites pentaphyllus Wall. ex Langeron

  Aleurites remyi Sherff

 Aleurites trilobus J. R. Forst. & G. Forst

 Jatropha moluccana L. (basionym)

Tree planted in Delhi University campus is rare in Delhi. The seeds yield a drying oil Lumbang oil used in paints and varnishes, soap making and painting boats and craft. Wood used for tea boxes and paper pulp, batk for tanning. Candles shaped from paste of kernels used for illumination. The nut is often used cooked in Indonesian and Malaysian cuisine, where it is called kemiri in Indonesian or buah keras in Malay. On the island of Java in Indonesia, it is used to make a thick sauce that is eaten with vegetables and rice. In the Philippines, the fruit and tree are traditionally known as Lumbang after which Lumban, a lakeshore town in Laguna is named.

Common names: candleberry, candlenut, candlenut-tree, Indian-walnut, lumbangtree, varnishtree

Dr. Gurcharan Singh

Retired  Associate Professor
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Phone: 011-25518297  Mob: 9810359089

http://www.gurcharanfamily.com/ 
http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/