Barringtonia racemosa

Common Names: Poeierkwasboom (Afrikaans), Common Putat (English), Putat Sungei (Malay), সমুন্দরফল (Bengali), จิกสวน (Thai), サガリバナ (Japanese), 玉蕊/水茄苳/穗花棋盤腳 (Chinese)
Scientific Name: Barringtonia racemosa (L.) Spreng.
Family: Lecythidaceae
Natural Distribution: South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal), Mozambique, Tanzania, Somalia, Madagascar, Seychelles, India, Sri Lanka, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Southeast Asia, Southern China (including Hainan Island), Ryukyu Island (Southward starting from Amami Islands), Taiwan, Micronesia, Melanesia, Polynesia, Northeastern Australia
Natural Habitat: Tropical and subtropical coastal and mangrove forests
Description: Evergreen tree usually around 10m tall at most. Alternate obovate-oblong simple leaves are glossy when mature, can grow up to 35cm long and about 15cm wide, and is pointy at the tip. The red new shoots are papery, gradually growing greener glossier. Leaves crown at the tip of branches.
Flower: Axillary inflorescence in the form of pendulous raceme. In summer the plant begins to bloom attractive whitish to pale pink bisexual flowers (4 red sepals, 4 pale pink petals and lots of whitish to pale pink stamens). Peduncle can reach 80cm. The nectar attracts pollinators including moths and bats.
Seeds: Oval-shaped fruit is light brownish with creases (from the lobes of flower). The fibrous outer coating makes the seed buoyant. The single seed inside the fruit is recalcitrant (but the seed can still germinate after months in the sea).  Quite some number of fruits are seedless. Sometimes the ripe fruit stays on the tree for a long time, but most fruits mature and drop during the first few months of the year. 

This is a very widespread species. They are dispersed by water, such as the sea or river. In their natural distribution, seedlings can be found on beach shores. They can tolerate saline soils but probably grow best along freshwater rivers. 

2018/01/25, this is one of the 2 Barringtonia racemosa seeds I have planted. The medium I used was clay soil and potting mix (about 1 to 1). I left some Sphagnum moss on top just in case the top dried out. I heard that this species loves it moist so I watered it everyday.