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ANTIPOLO TREE

ARTOCARPUS BLANCOI or mostly known as


ANTIPOLO TREE here in Philippines is a genus of some 60
trees of Southeast Asian origin, belong to the family
Moraceae (-often called the mulberry family or fig family —
are a family of flowering plants. Most are widespread in
tropical and subtropical regions, less so in temperate
climates; however, there is a cosmopolitan distribution
overall.). The word Artocarpus is derived from the Greek
words artos (bread) and karpos (fruit). It is said Antipolo City,
the capital of Rizal, derived its name from the Antipolo tree,
at a time when the tree grew in abundance locally.

CHARACTERISTICS:

Antipolo is a medium sized to a large tree up to 90


centimeters in diameter and 30 meters to 40 meters in
height with cylindrical bole and prominent buttress. The
outer bark of an Antipolo tree is grayish-black; its inner
bark exudes white latex.

Leaves are simple, spirally arranged, with one to


three pairs of lobes. The hairy petioles are about eight
centimeters long while the long hairy stipules are about 10
centimeters long. The flowers are minute in separate male
and female axillary inflorescences. The male ones are
yellowish, oblong, cylindrical, and spongy, while the
female ones are spherical in shape. The fruit is about 6.5
centimeters in diameter, with flexuous, tapering, obtuse process (spine-like structure), ripening to
yellow and orange-brown. Seeds are embedded in the fleshy part of the
fruit. Sapwood light buff, distinct from the heartwood which is bright
yellow when fresh, turning russet upon exposure; grain crossed; texture
moderately coarse to coarse; glossy; odor and taste not characteristic;
comparatively light to comparatively heavy. Growth rings entirely absent;
wood very homogenous. Vessels isolated in groups, those in groups
mostly in pairs and seldom in threes; diffuse; majority touch the rays on
only one side, some on both sides; separated from fibers by a narrow ring
of parenchyma. Occasional tyloses present. Fibers moderately dense.
Antipolo is endemic (-is the ecological state of a species being unique to a defined
geographic location, such as an island, nation, country or other defined zone, or habitat type;
organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere.)
to the Philippines, particularly in Bataan Island, Luzon, Palawan, Negros, and Mindanao, and in
lowland forests and thickets. It can also be found in areas with distinct dry season and annual
rainfall of 2,000 millimeters or more. Although rather common on Mount Makiling, the tree is
very widely distributed throughout the archipelago. It is also common in low and medium
altitudes, but not abundant. It is seldom cut for timber. This wood has a density of 0.43.

USES:

The wood of an Antipolo tree is locally used for light


construction. Bark extract is said to have antimicrobial activity.
Fruits and seeds are cooked and eaten. It is also used as a fiber plant for the production of pulp and
paper. This wood is used for house posts and other purposes requiring durability; for paneling, furniture
and cabinet work, and musical instruments as a substitute for Nangka; and for making bancas. The bark
of this tree is retted and used by highland folks for making clothes.

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