Tamanu

The hard wood of the funa tree was used to build traditional Maldivian boats and mosques, and its seeds yield precious tamanu oil.

An evergreen coastal tree growing to 20 m, with a broad, spreading crown that often leans out over the water. It has glossy, leathery, elliptical leaves with dense parallel veins and white, fragrant flowers with yellow stamens. The round fruits float and are carried by ocean currents along the coasts of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Tamanu oil, used in cosmetics and folk medicine, is pressed from the seeds, and the wood is hard and durable.

Significance in the country

Funa was the most valuable timber for Maldivians – it was used to build the hulls of dhoni boats and the beams of old mosques, and the spreading trees give shade on the beaches of many islands.

Where it grows

On the coasts and in the interior of the larger islands in every atoll; large old trees grow especially on the southern islands.

More: Wikipedia (en)