44 MANGROVE SWAMPS 
attacked by both insects and fungi. The wood is used for piling; 
posts; foundation sills; ties, paving blocks, bridges, wharfs, 
and ship buildings; beams, joists, rafters; hubs, spokes, felloes, 
and axles; capstan bars and other levers; ax, pick, and other 
tool handles; mallets and other wooden tools; recommended for 
steamed bent work where great strength and durability are 
required. 
The leaves are 10 to 20 centimeters long, alternate, simple, 
dark shiny green on the upper surface and silvery below. The 
flowering branches are borne in the axils of the leaves and are 
hairy and from 7 to 15 centimeters long with numerous flowers. 
The flowers are 5 millimeters long, unisexual, yellowish green, 
and beli-shaped. The flower has no petals. The calyx is usually 
5-toothed. The anthers are borne inaring. The fruit is hard, 
woody, smooth, shiny, 4 to 8 centimeters long, and boat-shaped. 
Family 8, SONNERATIACEAE 
Genus SONNERATIA 
There are two species of Sonneratia in the Philippine man- 
grove swamps, Sonneratia alba and Sonneratia caseolaris. These 
two species can be readily distinguished by the shapes of the 
leaves. The leaves of Sonneratia alba are narrow and pointed 
at the apex, while those of Sonneratia caseolaris are about as 
broad as long and rounded at the apex. 
Key to the species. 
seaveés pointed at) apex: e228 eee ee Sonneratia alba. 
Meavessroundediat/ aly excesses cnet fe eee eee eee me oe Sonneratia caseolaris. 
SONNERATIA ALBA Sm. (Plate XV). PEDADA. 
Local names: Payar (Pangasinan); palapdt, palata, pagatpdt, and 
hikau-hikduan (Bataan); pagatpdat (Manila, Bataan); lukabbdn, ilukabban 
(Cagayan). 
This species is a small tree occurring along the upper stretches 
of tidal streams. The fruit is slightly acid and is used as an 
article of food and also for making vinegar. This tree rarely 
reaches a height of more than 9 meters. One individual with 
a diameter of 80 centimeters has been reported. The air roots 
and leaves are distinctly smaller than those of Sonneratia caseo- 
laris. The air roots are sometimes used for the manufacture 
of wooden soles of shoes. The bark contains a moderate pro- 
portion of tannin, but is not often used as other species richer 
in tannin are more readily available. 
The wood is whitish and moderately hard. It rarely, if ever, 
forms heartwood and is cut only with mixed inferior firewoods. 
The smallest branches are jointed and four-angled. The leaves 
