Buddho narikel or Buddha coconut, Pterygota alata

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Buddho narikel or Buddha coconut (Pterygota alata, family: Sterculiaceae) is a large erect tree with branches, reaching up to 50 m in height. Trunk is huge and stout. Bark is smooth and  grey in color. 


The deciduous mighty tree is found in the hilly forests of Chittagong and Chittagong Hill Tracts and Sylhet of Bangladesh. 


The tree is also found in South India, Sikkim and Andaman Islands. In Bangladesh it is planted in parks and botanical gardens as an ornamental plant. 


Leaves are dark green, big, cordate, glabrous, 10-25 cm long and 7-20 cm wide, alternate; long-petioled: 10-14 cm long. Midrib and veins are clearly visible.


Flowers are reddish inside, outside brownish yellow, scented, petals 5. It produces flowers in spring.


Fruit is big, round, hard, dehiscent, dark brown in color. Seeds are winged, numerous. Fruit pulp tastes almost like Coconut.  


The native plant is propagated by seeds. Seed is edible too. It can be taken after frying. A kind of oil is extracted from seed. It is nutritious and emollient. Its wood is fibrous and can be used in making pulp for paper. The Khashia tribe of Bangladesh uses its wood as the alternative of Opium.

Comments

  1. AnonymousOctober 24, 2019 at 11:42 PM

    Dear Sir / Mdm,

    I am so glad that I found you online, while I was searching for the empty seed pod ( seed shell ) of the so called Buddha coconut, or Pterygota alata. Where can I buy the empty seed shell of this fruit ?

    I am not buying the seeds, but rather the seed pod which holds the seeds, the empty shell. Besides this empty seed pod I am also looking for many other empty seed pods as well. I need to buy this empty shell constantly. Can you help me please ? I pay by PayPal and my order quantities will be in hundreds of pieces. Where can I buy the empty seed shell of this fruit ?

    Sincerely yours,
    Norman Wong

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownJanuary 3, 2021 at 6:33 AM

      I can provide you & i have also six tree of buddha coconut with 30years old.And i'm also searching buyer.

      Delete
    2. UnknownJanuary 3, 2021 at 6:42 AM

      You can contact with me,,,(limon01782@gmail.com).

      Delete
  2. UnknownOctober 9, 2020 at 11:24 PM

    Good afternoon
    Do you why it is called Buddha coconut ?
    Thank you

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownJanuary 3, 2021 at 6:40 AM

      It is said that the sage of buddha-buddho deb boshu meditated under this tree.That's why it’s called buddha coconut.

      Delete
  3. AnonymousMay 31, 2021 at 12:26 PM

    U can contact with me nobiulmd1@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dr Hemant Singh ChauhanSeptember 18, 2021 at 3:30 AM

    Really this is good site , I purchased approximately 100 plants of this tree from pantnagar university , uttrakhand , Thanks to university they prepare first time this plant on my request.
    Site give me valuable knowledge about plant.
    This is very beautiful tree. The height and empty shell of this tree attract me.

    ReplyDelete

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