Anacolosa frutescens aka Galonut

Anacolosa frutescens, or galo nut, is an evergreen tropical tree. It belongs to the Olacaceae family. Its native range runs from Indo-China through Malesia. Sources record it in Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. People gather its fruit and seeds from wild trees. Some also grow it in Malaysia and the Philippines.

Garden references give a height and spread of 49 feet [15 metres]. Forest accounts describe a wider height range of 16–82 feet [5–25 metres]. Rare trees reach 98 feet [30 metres]. It grows upright, sometimes taking a shrub form. Large trunks can reach about 4.6 feet [1.4 metres] across. The leaves grow alternately, with a point at each end. Small yellow flowers grow in clusters. Each yellow or orange drupe holds one seed within a stone. A thin layer of flesh surrounds it.

This tree suits warm, moist tropical sites with some shade. It prefers climates that lack a marked dry season. In the wild, it grows in lowland and hill forests. It also occurs beside streams and in some peat swamps. Some sites have limestone, while others have poor, acid sand. Garden guidance calls for moist soil that drains well. It accepts sand, loam, or clay, and mildly acid through mildly alkaline soils. PFAF lists USDA zones 10–12. Its food value makes it an option for tropical food forests.

Both the fruit and seed provide food, raw or cooked. Young fruits can be boiled, and ripe pulp can be cooked. The thin-shelled kernels have a taste compared with sweetcorn and chestnut. Mature fruits weigh about 8–16 grams each. Kernels supply carbohydrate, protein, and fat. Trees vary in yield, and growers have found productive forms. The hard, heavy wood has a pale reddish-brown colour. People use it for house posts, though it does not last well. The sources report no known hazards or medicinal uses.

Seeds take more than 100 days to germinate. Early growth is slow, despite a moderate overall growth rating. Seedlings need about a year to reach grafting size. Cleft grafting onto seedlings at least one year old succeeds well. Air layering offers another way to raise plants. That process takes about four months. The supplied accounts give no specific pest or disease problems.