Cannonball mangrove facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cannonball mangrove |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Xylocarpus
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| Species: |
granatum
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The Xylocarpus granatum, also known as the cannonball mangrove or puzzlenut tree, is a type of mangrove. It belongs to the mahogany family, called Meliaceae. You can find this tree in many places, including Africa, Asia, Australasia, and the Pacific Islands. It is a very common mangrove species. Experts at the International Union for the Conservation of Nature say it is a "least concern" species. This means it is not currently at risk of disappearing.
What it Looks Like
The Xylocarpus granatum is an evergreen tree. This means it keeps its leaves all year round. It can grow up to about 12 meters (almost 40 feet) tall. The tree has a strong trunk with special roots called buttresses. These roots spread out far from the tree, helping it stay stable in soft mud.
Its bark is brown and smooth. It often peels off in flakes. The leaves grow in a spiral pattern on the branches. Each leaf has two to four pairs of smaller leaflets. Young leaves are light green, and they turn darker as they get older.
The tree produces small flowers. They grow in clusters at the end of branches or where leaves meet the stem. Each flower is about 8 millimeters (0.3 inches) wide. They are usually white or yellowish-pink. After the flowers, large, round, woody fruits grow. These fruits are like big cannonballs, about 9 to 12 centimeters (3.5 to 4.7 inches) across. When they split open, you can find up to a dozen seeds inside.
Where it Lives
This mangrove species grows in tropical and sub-tropical areas. It is found in the western Indo-Pacific region. Its range stretches from countries like Kenya and Tanzania in Africa. It also grows in India, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, northern Australia, and Papua New Guinea.
The Xylocarpus granatum prefers to live in the higher parts of the intertidal zone. This is the area along the coast that is covered by water during high tide and exposed during low tide. You can often find these trees in estuaries, which are where rivers meet the sea. They also grow along the banks of creeks in coastal areas.
How People Use It
The wood from the Xylocarpus granatum is very strong and lasts a long time. People use it to build boats, houses, and furniture. However, the trees often have twisted trunks or are hollow inside. This means it can be hard to get large, straight pieces of wood. Smaller pieces are used for things like tool handles. The wood can also be burned as firewood, but it burns quite quickly.
The bark of the tree is rich in substances called tannins. These tannins have been used to make ropes stronger. They also help to dye cloth, giving it color. In some places, the bark, fruits, and seeds have been used in traditional medicine to treat different ailments.
Its Conservation Status
Mangroves around the world are facing many challenges. They are threatened by new buildings and developments along the coast. People also cut down mangroves for their wood and other products. Another big threat is global warming, which causes sea levels to rise. This can drown mangrove forests that are not able to adapt quickly enough.
However, the Xylocarpus granatum is a very common type of mangrove. It grows in a very wide area across many countries. Because of this, its population is probably not decreasing fast enough to be considered endangered. For these reasons, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature has listed it as a species of "least concern". This means it is not currently at high risk of extinction.
See also
In Spanish: Xylocarpus granatum para niños
