Hello, I have seen this fruits in the Borneo mangrove (Sabah region). But I don't know if it's cerbera odollam or cerbera manghas. Does someone knows which one is this one and what is the difference between the 2 species ? Cheers
Cerbera odollam...flowers are pure white. File:Cerbera odollam (Flowers).JPG - Wikimedia Commons Cerbera manghas......white flowers with red centre. File:Cerbera manghas flower.jpg - Wikimedia Commons File:Cerbera manghas - Köhler–s Medizinal-Pflanzen-175.jpg - Wikimedia Commons
I've only seen what I assumed to be Cerbera manghas, one of which was labelled as such (was at U. of Hawaii at Manoa). The fruit was quite tapered at the ends, even pointed at one end. Wikipedia pages describe C. manghas fruits as egg-shaped and shows a drawing of C. odollam fruits that are round. Here is a Cerbera odollam page with photos that are all labelled C. manghas: Te Māra Reo That links to this page on Cerbera odollam, Cook Islands Biodiversity : Cerbera odollam - Yellow-eye Sea-mango, which says: There is much debate as to the importance of the eye colour, which seems to be the only feature separating the two species.It has a photo comparing the flowers. And it (C. odollam page) has a photo of a very tapered fruit. If eye colour is the only feature that separates them, then maybe both have that much variety in fruit shape? If that's the case, you wouldn't be able to tell from your photos. I'm adding one more reference, from efloraofindia, linking to a page on each, with many photos: Cerbera - efloraofindia
Your link on Cook Islands web site shows the flowers side by side. Names at bottom of pic. - Cerbera odollam (Yellow-eye Sea-mango) djolof's pic......I think I can see flowers bottom right but sadly cannot enlarge to see clearly. Edited to clarify which pic I was talking about.
@Silver surfer, I think you're referring to @djolof's photo. Those look like bracts to me, with just two flowers seen from the side.
On the Cook Islands page for Cerbera odollam, it does say: SYNONYMS: Cerbera manghas [sensu, incl. GW] [taxonomy disputed]
Thank you very much Silver surfer and wcutler, I join here a picture of the flowers which are pure white like the descriptions of Cerbera odollam
djolof..sadly your 2nd pic does not show inside the only 2 flowers...so it is not possible to say if the centre is red..Sorry.
