''Manilkara kauki'' is a plant in the

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ...

Sapotoideae, and the tribe Sapoteae of the family Sapotaceae; and is the type species for the genus ''Manilkara''. It occurs in tropical Asia from Indo-China ( Cambodia,

Myanmar Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John C. Wells, Joh ...

, Thailand and Vietnam) to Malesia ( Indonesia, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea); and also in northern Queensland in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. In Java, the plant is called ''sawo kacik'', and is associated with the royal Javanese ritual. In India, the fruit is called ''adão (Adam’s fruit)'' in Konkani. Throughout the world it is known generally by the name ''caqui'', but in Australia it is called ''wongi''.

Description

The leaves are rigid, blunt-tipped, dark-green on the upper leaf face, and pale and silky below. The edible, orange-red fruit is 3–4 cm long.

Uses

For reforestation purposes, ''M. kauki'' is a useful

graft stock Graft or grafting may refer to: *Graft (politics), a form of political corruption *Graft, Netherlands, a village in the municipality of Graft-De Rijp Science and technology *Graft (surgery), a surgical procedure *Grafting, the joining of plant ti ...

for ''M. zapota'', and parts of the plant are used in

herbal medicine Herbal medicine (also herbalism) is the study of pharmacognosy and the use of medicinal plants, which are a basis of traditional medicine. With worldwide research into pharmacology, some herbal medicines have been translated into modern remed ...

. The fruit is reported to be very tasty, and is traditionally eaten by Torres Strait Islanders, who travel from island to island to harvest the crop.

References

kauki Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Flora of Queensland Ericales of Australia Trees of Indo-China Trees of Malesia Trees of New Guinea Bushfood Fruits originating in Asia {{Australia-asterid-stub