Canarium

taxobox
name = "Canarium"

---

image_caption = "Canarium indicum"
regnum = Plantae
unranked_divisio = Angiosperms
unranked_classis = Eudicots
unranked_ordo = Rosids
ordo = Sapindales
familia = Burseraceae
genus = "Canarium"
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = See text|

"Canarium" is a genus of about 75 species of tropical and subtropical trees in the family Burseraceae, native to tropical Africa, southern Asia, and Australia, from southern Nigeria east to Madagascar, Mauritius, India, southern China, Indonesia and the Philippines. They are large evergreen trees up to 40-50 m tall, with alternate, pinnate leaves.

Uses

Several species have edible nuts, known as Canarium nut, Pili nut or Galip nut. "C. indicum" and "C. ovatum" are among the most important nut-bearing trees in eastern Indonesia plus the SW Pacific and the Philippines respectively. Other species, most importantly "C. luzonicum", produce the resin elemi.

"Canarium odontophyllum" (common name, Dabai) is a species of Canarium which is a delicious and nutritious fruit which tastes something like avocado. The skin and flesh are edible after soaking in warm water. The fruit contains protein, fat and carbohydrate, thereby making it an ideal food. It has been introduced from Borneo to Queensland, Australia. In addition to food for humans, this plant's fruit may be eaten by certain lemurs such as the Red-bellied Lemur in Madagascar's eastern rainforests.

Fatty-acid methyl ester of "C. commune" oil meets all of the major biodiesel requirements in the USA (ASTM D 6751-02, ASTM PS 121-99), Germany (DIN V 51606) and European Union (EN 14214).

;Selected species

External links

* [http://www.ipgri.cgiar.org/publications/pdf/166.pdf International Plant Genetic Resources Institute: Pili Nut]
* [http://www.dnp.go.th/Botany/plant%20of%20the%20month/htm/Canarium%20pseudosumatranum.htm "Canarium pseudosumatranum" factsheet]
* [http://www.montosogardens.com/canarium_ovatum_pili_small.jpgPhoto of "Canarium ovatum" foliage and nuts]
* [http://biotech.tipo.gov.tw/plantjpg/1/Canarium%20album.jpgPhoto of "Canarium album" foliage]
* [http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2005.05.001 Prospects and potential of fatty acid methyl esters of some non-traditional seed oils for use as biodiesel in India]