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    Home»Nuts and seeds»Facts about Luna Nuts
    Nuts and seeds

    Facts about Luna Nuts

    By SylviaJanuary 27, 2022Updated:January 27, 2022No Comments5 Mins Read
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    Lepisanthes fruticosa commonly known as Luna Nut is an erect shrub or small tree belonging to Sapindaceae family. The plant is native to Southeast Asia: Myanmar, Indo-China, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia – Kalimantan, Sumatra, and Java to the Moluccas. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of wood. It is occasionally cultivated in the garden as an ornamental and food plant in Southeast Asia.

    Plant Description

    Luna nut is an erect shrub or small tree that normally grows from 1.5 – 10 meters tall, but exceptionally to 15 meters. The bole can be 2 – 15 cm in diameter. The plant is found growing in primary and secondary vegetation, probably in open places in the forest, along the edges, on ridges, along rivers and streams, swamp edges, the beach, logged areas, moist thickets, on ridges, abandoned plantations and grasslands. Plants are found in the wild in a wide range of situations and in soils ranging from dry to swampy; rich as well as poor; clayey as well as sandy; acid as well as basic. In secondary forests, it is usually present as a pre-disturbance remnant. Twigs are reddish when young becoming brown to silvery grey, smooth or lenticellate and glabrescent.

    Luna Nuts Facts

    Luna Nut Quick Facts
    Name: Luna Nut
    Scientific Name: Lepisanthes fruticosa
    Origin Southeast Asia: Myanmar, Indo-China, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia – Kalimantan, Sumatra, Java to the Moluccas
    Colors Green when young turning to dark red to reddish-black when ripe
    Shapes Subglobose to ovoid (-ellipsoid), 3–4 cm diameter, glossy, thin-walled, with sweet, translucent, fleshy aril
    Health benefits Support relieving itching, lower temperature during fever, rheumatism, impotence, relive backache, enhance sexual desires and cure restlessness
    Name Luna Nut
    Scientific Name Lepisanthes fruticosa
    Native Southeast Asia: Myanmar, Indo-China, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia – Kalimantan, Sumatra, Java to the Moluccas
    Common Names Luna nut
    Name in Other Languages Borneo : Kilinga
    Cambodia: kandak
    English: Luna nut
    Indonesia : Blimbing Cina, Cereme Cina, Mojowontu
    Kedayan: Belingasan
    Khmer: Kandak, Kândâk
    Laos: Kwad Khaaz
    Malaysia : Setengok, Talikasan, Palingsan Bukit, Petagar Tulang, Mojowontu
    Murut: Lulupitan
    Philippines : Buli-Buli, Ara, Balinaunau, Linaunau
    Thailand : Chammaliang (ชำมะเลียง), Chammaliang baan (ชำมะเลียง บ้าน), Khomriang (โคมเรียง),  Mathao (มะเถ้า), Phumriang (พุมเรียง), Phumriang suan (พุมเรียงสวน), Phuuwiang (พูเวียง), Mathao
    Tagalog: Linaunau
    Vietnamese: Bắp muôi
    Visayan: Buli-buli
    Plant Growth Habit Erect shrub or small tree
    Growing Climates Primary and secondary vegetation, probably in open places in the forest, along the edges, on ridges, along rivers and streams, swamp edges, the beach, logged areas, moist thickets, on ridges, abandoned plantations and grasslands
    Soil Plants are found in the wild in a wide range of situations and in soils ranging from dry to swampy; rich as well as poor; clayey as well as sandy; acid as well as basic. In secondary forests, it is usually present as a pre-disturbance remnant
    Plant Size Usually growing from 1.5 – 10 meters tall, but exceptionally to 15 meters. The bole can be 2 – 15cm in diameter
    Twigs Twigs are reddish when young becoming brown to silvery grey, smooth or lenticellate and glabrescent
    Leaf Leaves alternate, paripinnate, 2–8(14)-jugate, penninerved, coracious, glossy and glabrous, young leaves pinkish becoming green with age, rachis not winged. Pseudo stipules present, ovate to elliptic and persistent
    Leaflets Leaflets are opposite to sub opposite, elliptic to lanceolate, apex obtuse to acuminate, margin entire
    Flower Flowers are scentless, bisexual,0.3–0.4 × 0.5– 0.6 cm, with of 4–5 elliptic, ovate, or obovate, reddish sepals, 4–5 elliptic to obovate dark red, glabrous petals, stamens 5–8 with yellow or white anthers, ovary 2–3(−4) locules, glabrous, stigma slightly lobed and sub sessile
    Fruit Shape & Size Subglobose to ovoid (-ellipsoid), 3–4 cm diameter, glossy, thin-walled, with sweet, translucent, fleshy aril.
    Fruit Color Green when young turning to dark red to reddish-black when ripe
    Seed Seeds are usually 2, brown, subglobose to ellipsoid, flattened on the axial side.
    Propagation By seed
    Plant Parts Used Root

    Leaves

    Leaves are alternate, paripinnate, 2–8(14)-jugate, penninerved, and coracious, glossy and glabrous. Young leaves are pinkish and become green with age, rachis is not winged. Pseudo stipules are present and are ovate to elliptic and persistent. Leaflets are opposite to sub opposite, elliptic to lanceolate, apex obtuse to acuminate and margin entire.

    Flower

    Inflorescence is axillary or terminal, sometimes ramiflorous and cauliflorous. Flowers are scentless, bisexual,0.3–0.4 cm long and  0.5– 0.6 cm wide, with of 4–5 elliptic, ovate, or obovate, reddish sepals, 4–5 elliptic to obovate dark red, glabrous petals, stamens 5–8 with yellow or white anthers, ovary 2–3(−4) locules, glabrous, stigma slightly lobed and sub sessile.

    Mature-fruits-of-Luna-Nut Mature-fruits-of-Luna-Nut
    Immature-fruits-of-Luna-Nut Immature-fruits-of-Luna-Nut
    Leaves-of-Luna-Nut Leaves-of-Luna-Nut
    Plant-illustration-of-Luna-Nut Plant-illustration-of-Luna-Nut
    Sketch-of-Luna-Nut Sketch-of-Luna-Nut
    Flowers-of-luna-nuts Flowers-of-luna-nuts
    Luna Nut Image Gallery

    Fruits

    Fertile flowers are followed by subglobose to ovoid (-ellipsoid) fruit, 3–4 cm diameter, glossy, thin-walled, with sweet, translucent, fleshy aril. Fruits are dark red to reddish-black when ripe. Seeds usually 2 are brown, subglobose to ellipsoid, flattened on the axial side.

    Traditional uses and benefits of Luna Nuts

    • In traditional Malay medicine, the root is used in a compound poultice to relieve itching and to lower temperature during fever.
    • The Kedayan in Sarawak use a tea infusion of the root regularly against rheumatism or impotence.
    • A tea is made from its roots and the roots of pasak nagi (Euphorbiaceae) and drank to relive backache and to enhance sexual desires.
    • Root is used to cure heat in restlessness as well as fever.

    Culinary Uses

    • The fruit can be eaten fresh, as it is sweet when ripe.
    • The seeds are eaten roasted.
    • Young leaves eaten cooked as vegetables in southern Thailand.

    Other Facts

    • The tree is used as an ornamental plant in landscaping due to its attractive form.
    • Wood is hard, durable, and heavy and is used for house building in Malacca and also used for firewood.
    • Shoots are used in a pre-harvest rice ritual in southern Thailand.

    References:

    http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/tro-100362110

    http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Lepisanthes+fruticosa

    https://asianplant.net/Sapindaceae/Lepisanthes_fruticosa.htm

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    Luna Nut Scientific Classification

    Scientific Name: Lepisanthes fruticosa

    Rank Scientific Name & (Common Name)
    Kingdom Plantae (Plants)
    Subkingdom Tracheobionta (Vascular plants)
    Infrakingdom Streptophyta  (land plants)
    Division Magnoliophyta
    Class Magnoliopsida
    Order Sapindales
    Family Sapindaceae
    Genus Lepisanthes
    Species Lepisanthes fruticosa
    Synonyms
    • Allophylus pinnatus Roxb.
    • Allophylus pinnatus Roxb. ex Wight & Arn.
    • Capura fruticosa (Blume) Blanco
    • Capura fruticosa (Blume) Blanco ex Vidal
    • Capura nigrescens S.Vidal
    • Capura pinnata Blanco
    • Capura pulchella Ridl.
    • Capura zollingerianus Teijsm. & Binn.
    • Koelreuteria edulis Blanco
    • Otolepis cambodiana Pierre
    • Otolepis erythrocalyx (Hiern) Kuntze
    • Otolepis fruticosa (Roxb.) Kuntze
    • Otolepis furcata Pierre
    • Otolepis nigrescens Turcz.
    • Otolepis nodosa Pierre
    • Otolepis sessilis King
    • Otophora acuminata Radlk.
    • Otophora anomala Radlk.
    • Otophora bijuga Radlk.
    • Otophora blancoi Blume
    • Otophora cambodiana Pierre
    • Otophora cauliflora Merr.
    • Otophora eberhardtii Gagnep.
    • Otophora erythrocalyx Hiern
    • Otophora fruticosa (Roxb.) Blume
    • Otophora furcata Pierre
    • Otophora glandulosa Radlk.
    • Otophora grandifoliola Quisumb. & Merr.
    • Otophora lancifolia Radlk.
    • Otophora latifolia Ridl.
    • Otophora nigrescens Fern.-Vill.
    • Otophora nodosa Pierre
    • Otophora oliviformis Radlk.
    • Otophora pinnata (Blanco) Merr.
    • Otophora pulchella (Ridl.) Merr.
    • Otophora resecta Radlk.
    • Otophora sessilis King
    • Otophora sessllis King
    • Otophora setigera Radlk.
    • Otophora siamensis Craib
    • Otophora zollingeriana Teijsm. & Binn.
    • Sapindus baccatus Blanco
    • Sapindus fruticosus Roxb.
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