Barringtonia asiatica

Barringtonia asiatica (Sea Poison Tree)
A big tree growing on sandy and rocky coasts, it has large leaves in rosettes at branch ends. The fresh leaves are a delicate bronze with rosé veins. Old leaves turn yellowish. The flowers are pretty white balls with pink stamena. They expand at night and attract big moths and bats with their strong fragrance. The next morning, the floral rods are normally located under the rose. The fruits are usually lantern-shaped and float on water. The fruit can survive long distances for up to 2 years on the sea. We were among the first seeds that first came out of the sea on Krakatau Island. When mature, the outermost layer of the fruit wall is green and brown. The middle layer is spongy and includes air sacks for the fruit to float. The innermost layer is durable and dense to cover the seed (spongy and rough coating layers are almost like coconut).