Terminalia catappa L.

Japanese: モモタマナ（英語表記）Terminalia catappa L.

A semi-deciduous tall tree of the Combretaceae family that grows to a height of 10-35m and a diameter of 60cm-1m. Also known as Kobateishi and Shimabou. Widely distributed on tropical and subtropical coasts from Asia to Polynesia, reaching as far as the Okinawa and Ogasawara Islands. Often planted around houses or as trees lining the streets, it is characterized by its horizontal whorled branches and large leaves. The leaves are 20-30cm long, obovate, entire, and alternately arranged at the ends of the branches. They turn red before falling. The flowers are small and pale yellowish white, with female flowers at the bottom and male flowers at the top of the 8-16cm long spikes borne in the leaf axils.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

樹高10～35m，直径60cm～1mになるシクンシ科の半落葉高木。別名コバテイシ，シマボウ。アジアからポリネシアの熱帯～亜熱帯の海岸に広く分布し，沖縄諸島，小笠原諸島にまで達する。人家周辺や並木としてもよく植えられ，水平に輪生する枝と大きい葉が特徴的である。葉は長さ20～30cmの倒卵形，全縁で，枝先に集まって互生する。落葉前に紅葉する。花は淡黄白色で小型，葉腋（ようえき）に生じた長さ8～16cmの穂状花序の下方には雌花が，また上方には雄花がつく。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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