Cannonball Tree

In India, it is considered a sacred tree. This flower has been proclaimed as the State Flower by the government of Puducherry, Union Territory of India. This flower is used in the worship of Lord Shiva and decorates many temples. Sometimes harvested from the wild for use locally as food, medicine and source material. As an ornamental tree along highways and parks. The species habitat has declined extensively due to land clearing for settlements, timber and agriculture, resulting in its population becoming threatened. This plant is classified as 'Least Concern' on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (2013). The flowers have a fragrant smell and can be used to scent perfume and cosmetics. The hard shell of the fruit is sometimes used as a container. Native to the tropical regions of northern South America, especially the Amazon rainforest, and the southern Caribbean. Also found in India, where it originates, and Thailand. The fruit is edible, but is only eaten occasionally because of the unpleasant odor of the white flesh. The leaves are used as tobacco in powder form. Wood used to make incense.

Bala de canon (Dutch), Arbre à boulets de canon (French), Kanonenkugelbaum (German), Abricó de macaco (Portuguese), Kurupita gvianskaia (Russian), Taparo de monte (Spanish), Sala-lankaa (Thai). 

Often found growing in tropical rain forest, along riverbanks and in swampy areas at altitudes below 500 m in Peru. Prefers a sunny position, damp to wet and humus-rich soil, although it can also thrive in dry soil.

• Stems - the cylindrical trunk, appears larger due to the dense tangle of long (up to 3 m) hanging branches that emerge and cover the lower trunk, especially in older trees. The bark is grayish brown, fissured.
• Leaves - are alternate, obovate, up to 20 cm long, smooth to slightly velvety on the surface, flat to slightly serrated and hairy on the veins underneath.
• Flowers - the inflorescences are clustered, emerging from the stem and other large branches. Flowers have a complex structure without nectar, each consisting of 6 petals (petals) large and fleshy-waxy flowers, red to orange on the inside and a tinge of yellow on the outside, a disc of short and yellow ringed stamens (which produce pollen). Fertile pollen arranged around the pistil stalk and reduced stamens, and the structure of the pink-white stamen cap (which produces sterile pollen), the stamens borne on the androphore, the stamen sheath curved over the pistil. Flowers are very fragrant.
• Fruits - large round fruit resembling a ball, reddish brown, measuring 15 - 24 cm, with a hard woody outer skin (shell), produced in clusters, takes about 18 months to reach maturity. Each fruit contains 200 to 300 hairy seeds embedded in 6-segmented flesh. The flesh oxidizes from white to bluish green and gives off an unpleasant fermented aroma. The top of the fruit will crack when it falls to the ground.
• Seeds - hairy seeds embedded in 6-segmented flesh.

• Plant propagation via seeds or woody stem cuttings.
• Seeds: best sown as soon as possible after harvest, requires no pretreatment.
• Best sown as soon as possible after harvest, requires no pretreatment.
• Seedlings should be placed in individual containers when 6 - 10 cm tall and ready for planting when they are 7 months old.

Aliphatic hydrocarbons and stigmasterols, alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids (2',4'-dihydroxy-6'-methoxy-3',5'-dimethylchalcone, 7-hydroxy-5-methoxy-6,8-dimethylflavanone, and phenolic acids 4-hydroxybenzoate), isatin, indirubin, linalool, benzyl alcohol, terpineol, hexadecanoic acid, cis and trans-furan oxides of linalool, p-coumaric acid, o-coumaric acid, caffeic acid, and quercetin.

• Used to treat colds and stomachaches.
• Juice from leaves used for skin diseases.
• Shamans of South America used tree parts for malaria.
• Fruit pulp used to disinfect wounds.
• Young leaves used for toothache.
• Used for treatment of tumors.
• In South America, used for the treatment of pain and inflammatory disorders.
• In Ayurveda, fruit juices used as expectorant in acute or chronic cough and in bronchitis.
• Native Amazons use the plant to treat hypertension, tumors, inflammation, and pain.
• In the Amazon region and in Brazil, tea infusions of leaves, bark and flowers used for treatment of hypertension, tumor, pain, and inflammation. Infusion of flowers used as immunobooster.
• Leaves used as snuff in powdered form.
• In India, the Kailasagirikona tribes and Yanadi tribes used the leaves as hair stabilizer.