Sonneratia caseolaris

Sonneratia caseolaris
Unripened mangrove apple
Bud of mangrove apple
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Lythraceae
Genus: Sonneratia
Species:
S. caseolaris
Binomial name
Sonneratia caseolaris
Synonyms
List
    • Aubletia caseolaris (L.) Gaertn.
    • Blatti caseolaris (L.) Kuntze
    • Sonneratia acida L.f.
    • Sonneratia evenia Blume
    • Sonneratia neglecta Blume
    • Sonneratia obovata Blume
    • Sonneratia ovalis Korth.
    • Sonneratia rubra Oken
    • Rhizophora caseolaris L.

Sonneratia caseolaris, commonly known as mangrove apple, or pagatpat is a species of plant in the family Lythraceae. The fruit is noted for its outward similarity to the persimmon fruit.

This tree is a type of mangrove growing up to 20 m in height and with a trunk reaching a maximum diameter of 50 cm. It is present in tropical tidal mud flats from Africa to Indonesia, southwards down to northeast Australia and New Caledonia and northwards up to Hainan Island in China and the Philippines. It has pneumatophores or "knees" up to 2 m (6 ft 7 in) in height and conical in form

The fruit of this tree is the subject of a legend of Maldivian folklore, Kulhlhavah Falu Rani. Kuhlhavah (ކުއްޅަވައް) is the Dhivehi name for the mangrove apple (Sonneratia caseolaris).

The tree is associated with congregating fireflies throughout southeast Asia and is the food source of moth and other insects.