View source for Canarium

{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Canarium''
| image = Koeh-171.jpg
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = ''Canarium indicum''
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Sapindales]]
| familia = [[Burseraceae]]
| genus = ''Canarium''
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision = See text
}}

'''''Canarium''''' is a genus of about 75 species of tropical [[tree]]s in the family [[Burseraceae]], native to tropical [[Africa]] and southern [[Asia]], from southern [[Nigeria]] east to [[Madagascar]], [[Mauritius]], [[India]], southern [[China]], [[Indonesia]] and the [[Philippines]]. They are large [[evergreen]] trees up to 40-50 m tall, with alternate, pinnate [[leaf|leaves]].

===Uses===
Several species have edible [[nut (fruit)|nuts]], known as [[Canarium nut]], [[Pili nut]] or [[Galip nut]]. ''C. indicum'' and ''C. ovatum'' are among the most important nut-bearing trees in eastern Indonesia plus the SW Pacific and the Philippines respectively. Other species, most importantly ''C. luzonicum'', produce the [[resin]] [[elemi]].

''Canarium odontophyllum'' (common name, Dabai) is a species of Canarium which is a delicious and nutritious fruit which tastes something like avocado. The skin and flesh are edible afer soaking in warm water. The fruit contains protein, fat and carbohydrate, thereby making it a perfect food. It has been introduced from Borneo to Queensland, Australia. In addition to food for humans, this plant's fruit may be eaten by certain lemurs such as the [[Red-bellied Lemur]] in Madagascar's eastern [[rainforest]]s.

Fatty-acid methyl ester of ''C. commune'' oil meets all of the major [[biodiesel]] requirements in the USA (ASTM D 6751-02, ASTM PS 121-99), Germany (DIN V 51606) and European Union (EN 14214).  


;Selected species
{|
|- valign=top
|
*''[[Canarium album]]''
*''[[Canarium australianum]]
*''[[Canarium bengalense]]''
*''[[Canarium commune]]''
*''[[Canarium decumanum]]''
*''[[Canarium denticulatum]]''
*''[[Canarium harveyi]]''
*''[[Canarium indicum]]''
*''[[Canarium kipella]]''
*''[[Elemi|Canarium luzonicum]]''
*''[[Canarium madagascariense]]''
*''[[Canarium manii]]''
|
*''[[Canarium mehenbethene]]''
*''[[Canarium muelleri]]''
*''[[Canarium odontophyllum]]''
*''[[Pili nut|Canarium ovatum]]''
*''[[Canarium paniculatum]]''
*''[[Canarium pimela]]''
*''[[Canarium pseudosumatranum]]''
*''[[Canarium schweinfurthii]]''
*''[[Canarium strictum]]''
*''[[Canarium tramdenum]]''
*''[[Canarium zeylanicum]]''
|}

==External links==
*[http://www.ipgri.cgiar.org/publications/pdf/166.pdf International Plant Genetic Resources Institute: Pili Nut]
*[http://www.dnp.go.th/Botany/plant%20of%20the%20month/htm/Canarium%20pseudosumatranum.htm ''Canarium pseudosumatranum'' factsheet]
*[http://www.montosogardens.com/canarium_ovatum_pili_small.jpg Photo of ''Canarium ovatum'' foliage and nuts]
*[http://biotech.tipo.gov.tw/plantjpg/1/Canarium%20album.jpg Photo of ''Canarium album'' foliage]
*[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2005.05.001 Prospects and potential of fatty acid methyl esters of some non-traditional seed oils for use as biodiesel in India]

[[Category:Burseraceae]]
[[Category:Trees of Africa]]
[[Category:Underutilized crops]]

{{Sapindales-stub}}