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Description: Hernandia nymphaeifolia is large indigenous coastal tree. It can develop a robust to huge trunk, grey to whitish bark, and grows up heights of 20 m (65 ft) or more. The large, cordate (heart) shaped leaves have 7-9 conspicuous veins radiating from the point of attachment to petiole. It produces small white male flowers with three petals, while the female flowers have four petals. The hard-seeded fruits of H. nymphaeifolia are surrounded by a spherical, inflated yellowish (or reddish) vesicle which has an opening at the top; and because of its conspicuously-shaped fruit this species is sometimes referred to in English as the “Lantern Tree.” Its wood is relatively light and soft.
Distribution: H. nymphaeifolia is commonly found along tropical sandy or rocky shores in the coastal woodlands from East Africa and the Indian Ocean to Asia and the Pacific Islands. It is found widely in the tropical forested areas of Micronesia.
Uses by Island or Island Group: In addition to a variety of uses for the tree itself and its wood, H. nymphaeifolia has traditional medicinal uses in a variety of areas within its native range, and modern science has produced some confirmatory results from testing its potential healing properties (e.g., see Quattrocchi 2012:1962).
Uses in Yap and the outer atolls: The large, attractive, H. nymphaeifolia is known in Yap as Gachael. It can be found in some coastal areas, but is more common on the low lying Caroline Island. H. nymphaeifolia is sometimes planted by seed on Yap to make a windbreak or for shade. On the atolls of Yap State, it generally has a number of uses.
Uses on Ulithi: H. nymphaeifolia is known asHochol, and reportedly has medicinal use; for example, on Ulithi, “the bark is used in the treatment of silfas, a very painful swelling of the ankles and feet” (Lessa 1977: 157).
Uses on Ifaluk: H. nymphaeifolia is known as Koral, and the wood is said to be used in canoe and house construction, and the leaves and bark are purportedly used for medicine, for example, the leaves of this tree species are used in treatment for stomach ache in babies and to facilitate childbirth (e.g., see Burrows and Spiro 1957; and Burrows 1963).
Uses on Satawal, where this tree is known as Orhanas for it is reportedly used as a source of medicine (Roddy 2007:180), note: Roddy listed this tree species as Hernandia sonora, a misidentification of H. nymphaeifolia; and Roddy, as a linguist studying the Satawalese language, was most likely following the earlier botanical identification of this tree species as observed on Satawal by Fosberg (1969) who recorded its Satawalese name then as Orang.
Uses in the Mariana Islands: H. nymphaeifolia, known as Nonak or Nonag in the Mariana Islands, has been an important tree in native forests of these islands. Typically it is found in the coastal littoral forest areas, but also in other vegetation types such as the limestone forest areas of northern Guam. However, due to widespread landscape change, this and other native forest species are much less common than in the past in the Mariana Islands (e.g., see Stone 1970, Mueller-Dombois and Fosberg 1998). Safford (1905:293) referred to the use of H. nymphaeifolia for use as tinder (light wood framents) to start a fire as well as its limitations in canoe construction:
“The wood is very light and soft and takes fire readily from a flint or steel. It has been used in Guam for making canoes, but they soon become water-logged and useless if unpainted and left exposed to the weather.”
H. nymphaeifolia trees also serve as natural resource in the Mariana Islands where native tree snails have been observed, and where Corvus kubary, the rare Mariana Island crow species has been observed nesting and involved in other bird activities in H. nymphaeifolia trees on Rota Island (Tomback 1986). Fujita and Tuttle (1991) listed H. nymphaeifolia as one of the tree species being seed dispersed by the Marianas flying fox in the Mariana Islands.
Uses in Chuuk and the outer atolls: Juice from the leaves of H. nymphaeifolia,known as Achorong in Chuuk, is mixed with water, charred Hibiscus tiliaceus (Sinifé) wood, and pounded mangrove bark to make a black paint (épwpwún). The nut is used as a marble in a children’s' game. On Losap Atoll, “Hernandia sonora” [H. nymphaeifolia] is reportedly used in traditional medicine (Manner and Sana 1995:64). In addition, in Chuuk, Hernandia fruits “are combined with grated coconut and turmeric root for a woman's scalp treatment,” and a thin bent “stick made from a limb is used to hunt small octopi.” On Namoluk Atoll, the wood of this plant Akurang is used as firewood, and its leaves and seeds are used in medicinal preparations (Lessa 1977:157). On Puluwat Atoll, where this species of Hernandia is known asOrhal, its fruit are reportedly used as a source of medicine.
Uses in Pohnpei: This indigenous coastal tree is commonly found along sandy or rocky shores of many Pacific islands including Pohnpei where it is known as Pingaping. The word pingaping means “confusion” or “disorder,” and it is said that some have used some aspect of this tree species to bring confusion to their enemies. According to Balick et al. (2009:402), the stems of Pingaping are used to make outriggers for local canoes and the leaves are utilized in the fertilizing compost for giant swamp taro (Cyrtosperma merkusii) on Pohnpei. Furthermore, Lessa (1977:157) indicated that “H. sonora [Hernandia nymphaeifolia] has medicinal uses.”
Uses on Mwoakilloa (Mokil) Atoll: Glassman (1953:300) reported that “Hernandia sonora” [H. nymphaeifolia] on this atoll has a local name of “Pingapin,” and is a common tree in the coastal strand, growing to heights of about 15 feet (5 m) tall with numerous seedlings found beneath the parent plants; Glassman reported that trunks of this Hernandia species were used to make “canoes by the natives.”
Uses on Pingelap Atoll: Hattori (2012:260) referred to “pingiping” [most probably Hernandia nymphaeifolia] as the noun name for a “tall strong tree, with good amount of [pliability]” that she observed inland on this atoll; she indicated that its seeds are used “in craft work,” and the tree is used to make canoe hulls or paddles on Pingelap Atoll.
Uses in Marshall Islands: H. nymphaeifolia is known as Pinpin in the Marshall Islands; it is interesting to note that Pinpin is known as Pingaping on Pohnpei, Pihngpihng on Kosrae, Pingipingi on Nukuoro atoll, and St. John (1960:327), in his description of the flora of Eniwetok Atoll, listed the Marshallese name for H. nyphaeifolia as “Bingbing.” When such similar sounding words have the same meaning in different languages, they are called “cognates.” This indicates that perhaps the plant and/or knowledge about it was transferred from one island to another, either in ancient or more recent times. In the Marshall Islands, Pinpin or Bingbing is generally found only in the wetter atolls of the Marshall Islands; usualy it occurs occasionally, but is also locally common in other areas. On Majuro Atoll, H. nymphaeifolia trees are reportedly common, large and “found along lagoon coasts and occasionally in household gardens [with] a large grove on the lagoon side in Ajeltake [and] mature trees also present on the lagoon coast on Calalin Islet” (Vande Velde 2003). H. nymphaeifolia, which is sometimes planted by seed to make a windbreak, has several uses in the Marshall Islands: its wood is used to make parts canoes for holding the sail, as well as for firewood (when dried), as a building material, to make handles for fans, and sometimes to make the frame of a food grinder. The fruit (“nut”) of H. nymphaeifolia is also occasionally used to make handicrafts in the Marshall Islands; for example, its dark brown seeds are used broadly as beads in necklaces. In addition, the leaves of H. nymphaeifolia are used in the Marshall Islands for medicinal baths for children and adults; and parts of the plant are sometimes used in a preparation to treat headaches. According to Taafaki et al. (2006:209), parts of H. nymphaeifolia trees are used therapeutically “to remove black spots on the skin of pregnant women and to revive/energize an over worked person.”
Uses in Kiribati: According to Thaman (1990:25), H. nymphaeifolia, is known as Te nimareburebu in Kiribati; and it isfound occasionally on the lagoon side of the islets of the Kiribati Atolls, infrequently around villages; Thaman referred to the use of its wood in house construction and for outrigger floats. Furthermore, Thaman suggested that H. nymphaeifolia in Kiribati has been planted possibly from drift seeds; also see Catala (1957:76, 96), who also referred to H. sonora (synonym for H. nymphaeifolia) treesas being used as a source of building material for houses, outrigger canoe floats, fishing rods and other purposes.
Uses on Nauru: Thaman et al. (2009:44) provided the following summary of the scarce presence and traditional usefulness of this tree on Nauru:
“The [Etiu, Etsiu or Yetiu tree, H. nymphaeifolia] has been recorded in only four localities on Nauru, where it grows naturally in the forests near the base of the escarpment. It is an extremely useful and highly ornamental shade tree for coastal situations. The timber was formerly prized for canoe hulls. It is a tree that can be planted in sandy sites on the coast and in coastal houseyard gardens where it can provide coastal protection.”
Thaman et al. (2009:135) also provided further details regarding the “uncommon” occurence and customary value of H. nymphaeifolia on Nauru:
“Tree on or near base of escarpment. Large stand of over ten trees behind a house in Ijuw District near the border of Anibare District and near the bottom of the escarpment behind Capelli’s store. Very light wood, which is sometimes found in the form of driftwood, used for canoe outriggers, pull-floats for fishermen to tie fish to, and corks for bottles; fruit rubbed against rock to burn each other in traditional games.”