Little Gooseberry tree, Beach Berry
A tropical plant. They are found throughout the islands of the Philippines in the lower wooded regions. It is also native to Australia occurring in the northern tip regions. It prefers rich, moist, well drained soils in a sunny position but often occurs on sandstone hills. Often trees are found near monsoon forest beside freshwater streams. It gets damaged by both drought and frost. It is very frost sensitive. In north Thailand it grows below 1,200 m above sea level. It can be in mangrove swamps and coastal thickets.
Also known as:
Balinghasai, Chaa muang, Dumangkarrkba, Jam jam, Jilara, Jungle plum, Kampinh doong, Khuan kung, Kra uam, Kreet, Lightwood tree, Mon, Ngauwingai, Pohon getasan, Satinwood tree, Taninthayi, Ya thum, Yawuriama yankumwani
Synonyms
- Buchanania angustifolia Benth. [Illegitimate] Buchanania attopeuensis (Pierre) Tardieu
- Buchanania bancana Miq.
- Buchanania decandra Blanco
- Buchanania florida Schauer
- Buchanania glaberrima Ridl.
- Buchanania intermedia Wight
- Buchanania longifolia Blume
- Buchanania lucida Blume
- Buchanania monticola Kaneh. & Hatus.
- Buchanania novohibernica Lauterb.
- Buchanania palembanica Blume
- Buchanania papuana C. T. White
- Buchanania petiolaris Miq.
- Buchanania polybotrya Miq.
- Buchanania pseudoflorida G. Perkins
- Buchanania scandens Lauterb.
- Buchanania solomonensis Merr. & L. M. Perry
- Buchanania subobovata Griff.
- Buchanania versteeghii Merr. & L. M. Perry
- Coniogeton arborescens Blume
Edible Portion
- Fruit
Where does Little Gooseberry tree grow?
Found in: Andaman Islands, Asia, Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, China, East Timor, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Philippines, SE Asia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Torres Strait, Vietnam
Notes: There are about 25 Buchanania species. The first part of the scientific name is after Claudius Buchanan a Scottish chaplain to the East India Company in the 1800’s.
Growing Little Gooseberry tree, Beach Berry
Cultivation: It can be grown from seed or by cuttings. Seeds should be planted in well drained soil. It needs to be kept well watered.
Edible Uses: The fruit are eaten raw. They are sweet. The fruit can be used to make drinks.
Production: Flowering in the southern hemisphere occurs August to October and fruiting follows November to December being ready to harvest in January.
Nutrition Info
per 100g edible portion| Edible Part | Energy (kcal) | Protein (g) | Iron (mg) | Vitamin A (ug) | Vitamin c (mg) | Zinc (mg) | % Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fruit | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Little Gooseberry tree, Beach Berry Photos
References
Beasley, J., 2011, Plants of Tropical North Queensland - the compact guide. Footloose publications. p 171
Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 174
Brock, J., 1993, Native Plants of Northern Australia, Reed. p 104
Carig, Elizabeth T. 2020, Guidebook on Native Trees within the Quirino Forest Landscape. Plaridel, Bulacan, St. Andrew Publishing House. p 30
Chayamarit, K., 1994, Preliminary Checklist of the Family Anacardiaceae in Thailand. Thai For. Bull. 22:1-25
Checklist of NT Vascular Plant Species. January 2003.
Cherikoff V. & Isaacs, J., The Bush Food Handbook. How to gather, grow, process and cook Australian Wild Foods. Ti Tree Press, Australia p 198
Cooper, W. and Cooper, W., 2004, Fruits of the Australian Tropical Rainforest. Nokomis Editions, Victoria, Australia. p 17
Cowie, I, 2006, A Survey of Flora and vegetation of the proposed Jaco-Tutuala-Lore National Park. Timor-Lests (East Timor) www.territorystories.nt/gov.au p 42(As Buchanania florida)
Crawford, I. M., 1982, Traditional Aboriginal Plant Resources in the Kalumburu Area: Aspects in Ethno-economics. Records of the Western Australian Museum Supplement No. 15
Cribb, A.B. & J.W., 1976, Wild Food in Australia, Fontana. p 23
Djunbunji Newsletter Edition 2 2011. p 5
Elliot, W.R., & Jones, D.L., 1982, Encyclopedia of Australian Plants suitable for cultivation. Vol 2. Lothian. p 384 (Also as Buchanania muelleri)
Fell, D.G. & Stanton, D.J., 2015: The vegetation and flora of Mabuyag, Torres Strait, Queensland. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum – Culture 8(1):1-33. Brisbane. ISSN 1440-4788.
French, B.R., 2010, Food Plants of Solomon Islands. A Compendium. Food Plants International Inc. p 303
Gardner, S., et al, 2000, A Field Guide to Forest Trees of Northern Thailand, Kobfai Publishing Project. p 146
Hiddins, L., 1999, Explore Wild Australia with the Bush Tucker Man. Penguin Books/ABC Books. p 149
Jackes, B.R., 2001, Plants of the Tropics. Rainforest to Heath. An Identification Guide. James Cook University. p 39
Jones D, L, 1986, Ornamental Rainforest Plants in Australia, Reed Books, p 199, 214, 340
Kiple, K.F. & Ornelas, K.C., (eds), 2000, The Cambridge World History of Food. CUP p 1803
Lazarides, M. & Hince, B., 1993, Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia, CSIRO. p 40
Levitt, D., 1981, Plants and people. Aboriginal uses of plants on Groote Eylandt, Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies, Canberra. p 81
Low, T., 1991, Wild Food Plants of Australia. Australian Nature FieldGuide, Angus & Robertson. p 150
Mohd, N. G. et al, 2014, A Preliminary Flora Survey in Gunung Kajang, Pulau Tioman, Pahang Darul Makmur, Malaysia. Malays. Appl. Biol. 43(2): 17-23
Monsalud, M.R., Tongacan, A.L., Lopez, F.R., & Lagrimas, M.Q., 1966, Edible Wild Plants in Philippine Forests. Philippine Journal of Science. p 438
Mua Bioversity Profile, 2013, Profile for Management of the Habitats and Related Ecological and Cultural Resources of Mua Island. Torres Strait Regional Authority Land & Sea Management Unit. p 142
Paczkowska, G. & Chapman, A.R., 2000, The Western Australian Flora. A Descriptive Catalogue. Western Australian Herbarium. p 137
Peekel, P.G., 1984, (Translation E.E.Henty), Flora of the Bismarck Archipelago for Naturalists, Division of Botany, Lae, PNG. p 324, 325
Phon, P., 2000, Plants used in Cambodia. © Pauline Dy Phon, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. p 106
Scarth-Johnson, V., 2000, National Treasures. Flowering Plants of Cooktown and Northern Australia. Vera Scarth-Johnson Gallery Association. Cooktown, Australia. p 75
Slik, F., www.asianplant.net
Soepadmo, E. and Wong, K. M. and Saw, L. G., 1996, Tree Flora of Sabah and Sarawak. Forestry Malaysia. Volume Two. p 10
Sukarya, D. G., (Ed.) 2013, 3,500 Plant Species of the Botanic Gardens of Indonesia. LIPI p 165
Tiwi Plants and Animals. 2001, Aboriginal flora and fauna knowledge from Bathurst and Melville Islands, northern Australia. Northern Territory Botanical Bulletin; No. 24 p 31
Townsend, K., 1994, Across the Top. Gardening with Australian Plants in the tropics. Society for Growing Australian Plants, Townsville Branch Inc. p 107
World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew