Berenuk or calabash tree (Crescentia cujete) is a plant species in Bignoniaceae, a medium-sized tree, grooved trunk and leathery trunk, leaves are distinctively arranged in three pairs, fruit has a round and large shape, often used as a medicinal ingredient.
C. cujete has a height of up to 10 m, the stem is cylindrical, grooved, branched and blackish white. The leaves have short stalks, are compound, pinnate, oval, tapered or rounded and 10-15 cm long.
Single flower, growing from branches or twigs. The fruit is round or ovoid, large like a ball, has a stalk, has thick skin, smooth surface and is green in color. The seeds are square and brown.
The leaves, stems and fruit contain saponins, polyphenols and flavonoids. The leaves are used as a medicine for new wounds and hypertension. Fruits and seeds to treat diarrhea, stomach ache, colds, bronchitis, asthma, and difficulty urinating. Fruit is also used as a craft medium.
TAXON
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Lamiales
Family: Bignoniaceae
Tribe: Crescentieae
Genus: Crescentia L. in Sp. Pl.: 626 (1753)
Species: Crescentia cujete L. in Sp. Pl. 2: 626 (1753)
HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS
Crescentia acuminata Kunth in F.W.H.von Humboldt, A.J.A.Bonpland & C.S.Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. 3: 57 (1819)
Crescentia angustifolia Willd. ex Seem. in Trans. Linn. Soc. London 23: 20 (1860)
Crescentia arborea Raf. in Sylva Tellur.: 81 (1838)
Crescentia cujete var. puberula Bureau & K.Schum. in C.F.P.von Martius & auct. suc. (eds.), Fl. Bras. 8(2): 403 (1897)
Crescentia cuneifolia Gardner in J. Bot. (Hooker) 2: 422 (1840)
Crescentia fasciculata Miers in Trans. Linn. Soc. London 26: 171 (1868)
Crescentia latifolia Raf. (1838)
Crescentia plectantha Miers (1868)
Crescentia pumila Raf. (1838)
Crescentia spathulata Miers (1868)
PUBLICATIONS
Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & Strong, M.T. (2012). Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 98: 1-1192.
Akoègninou, A., van der Burg, W.J. & van der Maesen, L.J.G. (eds.) (2006). Flore Analytique du Bénin: 1-1034. Backhuys Publishers.
Baksh-Comeau, Y., Maharaj, S.S., Adams, C.D., Harris, S.A., Filer, D.L. & Hawthorne, W.D. (2016). An annotated checklist of the vascular plants of Trinidad and Tobago with analysis of vegetation types and botanical 'hotspots'. Phytotaxa 250: 1-431.
Berendsohn, W.G., Gruber, A.K. & Monterrosa Salomón, J. (2009). Nova silva cusatlantica. Árboles nativos e introduciados de El Salvador. Parte 1: Angiospermae - Familias A a L. Englera 29-1: 1-438.
Brundu, G. & Camarda, I. (2013). The Flora of Chad: a checklist and brief analysis. PhytoKeys 23: 1-18.
Garcia-Mendoza, A.J. & Meave, J.A. (eds.) (2012). Diversidad florística de Oaxaca: de musgos a angiospermas (colecciones y listas de especies), ed. 2: 1-351. Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México.
Gentry, A.H. (1980). Bignoniaceae-Part I (Crescentieae and Tourrettieae). Flora Neotropica, Monograph 25(1): 1-130.
Gentry, A.H. in Steyermark, J., Berry, P.E., Holts, B.K. (eds). (1997). Bignoniaceae. Flora of the Venezuelan Guayana 3: 403-491. Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis.
Gonzalez, F., Nelson Diaz, J. & Lowry, P. (1995). Flora Illustrada de San Andrés y Providencia: 1-281. Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Colombia.
Govaerts, R. (1999). World Checklist of Seed Plants 3(1, 2a & 2b): 1-1532. MIM, Deurne.
Hokche, O., Berry, P.E. & Huber, O. (eds.) (2008). Nuevo Catálogo de la Flora Vascular de Venezuela: 1-859. Fundación Instituto Botánico de Venezuela.
Idárraga-Piedrahita, A., Ortiz, R.D.C., Callejas Posada, R. & Merello, M. (eds.) (2011). Flora de Antioquia: Catálogo de las Plantas Vasculares 2: 1-939. Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín.
Jones, M. (1991). A checklist of Gambian plants: 1-33. Michael Jones, The Gambia College.
Linares, J.L. (2003 publ. 2005). Lista comentado de los árboles nativos y cultivados en la República de El Salvador. Ceiba; a Scientific and Technical Journal Published by Zamorano 44: 105-268.
Nelson Sutherland, C.H. (2008). Catálogo de las plantes vasculares de Honduras. Espermatofitas: 1-1576. SERNA/Guaymuras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
Sarder, N.U. & Hassan, M.A. (eds.) (2018). Vascular flora of Chittagong and the Chittagong Hill Tracts 3: 1-978. Bangladesh National Herbarium, Dhaka.
Thulin, M. (ed.) (2006). Flora of Somalia 3: 1-626. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
VERNACULAR NAME
Chinese (simplified): 葫芦树 - 炮弹树
Chinese (traditional): 蒲瓜樹 - 葫蘆樹 - 砲彈樹
Czech: Maraka chrastivá
English: Calabash tree
Filipina: Cujete
Finnish: Kulhokalebassipuu
French: Calebasse
German: Kalebassenbaum
Indonesian: Berenuk, Majapahit
Japanese: フクベノキ - ヒョウタンノキ
Java: Brenuk
Kannada: Sokeburude
Malayalam: Thiruvattakkai
Malaysia: Tabu kayu
Polish: Dzbaniwo kalebasowe
Portuguese: Coité, Cabaceira
Prancis: Calebassier
Russian: Калебасовое дерево
Slovak: Fľaškovník obyčajný
Spanish: Totumo, Tutuma
Tamil: Tiruvottukkay
Ternate: Buah no
Thai: น้ำเต้าต้น
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