Baccaurea Motleyana

Baccaurea motleyana is a species of fruit tree which grows wild in parts of Southeast Asia and is cultivated for its fruit in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia. Its common names include rambai and rambi, and in Thai language mafai-farang. In the Bengali language the fruit is known as bugi as local language in Narsingdi like lotka, lotkon or bugi in bengali locally (লটকা/লটকন/বুগি), in the Assamese language it is known as leteku (লেটেকু). This is a tree generally growing to 9 to 12 meters in height with a short trunk and a broad crown. The evergreen leaves are shiny green on the upper surface and greenish-brown and hairy underneath. Each leaf is up to 33 centimeters long and 15 wide. The species is dioecious, with male and female flowers growing on separate individuals. Both types of flowers are fragrant and have yellow sepals. The staminate racemes are up to 15 centimeters long and the pistillate inflorescences may reach 75 centimeters in length. The fruits are each 2 to 5 centimeters long and about two wide and grow in strands. Each fruit has velvety pinkish, yellow, or brown skin which wrinkles at ripening and is filled with whitish pulp containing 3 to 5 seeds. The pulp is sweet to acid in taste. They may be eaten raw or cooked or made into jam or wine. The tree is also used for shade and low-quality wood. The specific name is for James Motley who collected it in southeast Borneo prior to his murder.

PLATES