Rowal fruit scientifically known as Pangium edule is a tall tree in the Flacourtiaceae family and is native to Malesia, Melanesia and Micronesia. It is an evergreen perennial tree sized 18–40 m tall and prefers little shade and is normally found growing in a slightly acidic soil. Fruits are the size and shape of footballs. Fruits are normally large, sub globose to ovoid-sub pyriform (football shaped), indehiscent, rough, brown, generally 15–30 cm long, and about half as thick. The exterior color of the fruits is brown. The outside skin is rough to the touch. The fruit is normally eaten when the skin is soft to the touch.
| Name | Rowal fruit |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Pangium edule |
| Native | Occurs throughout Malesia, Melanesia and Micronesia |
| Common/English Name | Football Fruit, Sis Nut, pangi, pakem, sis, riamel, kepayang |
| Name in Other Languages | Yapese : Rowa Chamorro : Lasret Pohnpeian : Drian Dutch : Kloewak Solomon Islands : Rawahn Falaka Indonesia : Pucung Palauan : Ariaml Chuukese : Durien Papua New Guinea : Rumrum Malaysia : Peyang ( Bidayuh) |
| Plant Growth Habit | Medium to large, much branched, evergreen perennial tree |
| Growing Climate | Shade loving |
| Soil | Grows well in a slightly acidic soil. It is also found along riverbanks and inundated areas and on stony and clayey soils. |
| Plant Size | 18–40 m |
| Bark | Grey brown |
| Trunk | Up to 1 m of diameter |
| Leaf | Leaves are entire, broadly ovate, cordate to truncate base, 15–25 cm long, 3-lobed on young trees, acuminate, glossy green, nerves palmate. |
| Flower | Flowers mostly unisexual; male flowers occur in racemes, to 5 cm wide; with 2–3 calyx-lobes; 5 or 6 petals with a basal scale and many stamens. Female flowers are solitary, similar to male flowers, but have no stamens but with 5–6 staminodes alternating with the petals, ovary long-ovoid, thick-walled, 1-celled with 2–4 placentae and many ovules and sessile stigma. |
| Fruit Shape & Size | Large, sub globose to ovoid-sub pyriform (football shaped), indehiscent, rough, brown, generally 15–30 cm long, and about half as thick |
| Fruit Color | Brown |
| Fruit Skin | Rough, scruffy |
| Flesh Color | Pale yellow to bright yellow flesh. |
| Taste | Similar to Durian |
| Seed | Many, compressed ovate, greyish, 5 cm long, the hard seed coat with prominent raised nerves and embedded in creamy-white or yellowish pulp. |
| Major Nutrition | Copper, Cu 2.417 mg (268.56%) Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) 58.8 mg (65.33%) Iron, Fe 5.02 mg (62.75%) Carbohydrate 54.49 g (41.92%) Total dietary Fiber 14.1 g (37.11%) Magnesium, Mg 73 mg (17.38%) Phosphorus, P 119 mg (17.00%) Manganese, Mn 0.353 mg (15.35%) Total Fat (lipid) 4.56 g (13.03%) Protein 5.24 g (10.48%) |
| Health Benefits |
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| Calories in 1 cup (228 gm) | 253 K cal |