Kamansi
Artocarpus camansi Blanco
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Artocarpus camansi or Kamansi in Filipino is a tree belonging to the family Moraceae or the Mulberry family, which is characterized for having a sticky, white, milky sap. The seeds of Kamansi can be roasted and said to be similar to chestnuts in texture and flavor and can be canned in brine, or processed into nut butter or nut paste, flour, or oil. Kamansi flowers can be used as an insecticide.
Kamansi naturally occurs on frequently flooded riverbanks, where it helps to stabilize the soil. Inside the campus, Kamansi trees still stand behind the NALLRC building and in the oval. These trees were discovered to be planted by Prof. Siegfredo Calabig, retired faculty and founder of the famous Banda Kawayan Pilipinas.
This native tree is one of the earliest documented plants in the country by an Augustinian priest and a botanist, Father Manuel Blanco, that was published in his Flora de Filipinas on 1877 (Merrill, 1905).
Distribution of Artocarpus camansi Blanco in the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (Map created by J. Diongco)
Natural distribution of Artocarpus camansi Blanco in the Philippines (Map created by A. De Jesus and M.I. De Ramos)
Botanical Description of Artocarpus camansi Blanco
Commonly known as Breadfruit, its scientific name is derived from the Greek words artos meaning bread and karpos meaning fruit. This fast growing, evergreen tree of 10-15 m or more with a trunk about one meter in diameter or larger, often growing to a height of 5 m before branching, spreading canopy of diameter about half of the tree. It forms buttresses at the base; roots spread and grow on or slightly below the surface.
Leaves are alternate, large, 40-60 cm long, moderately dissected with 4-6 pairs of lobes and sinuses cut halfway to the midrib. Blade is dull green with green veins. Two large green stipules enclose the bud, turning yellow before dehiscing. Male flowers are club-shaped, up to 3 cm in diameter and 25–35 cm long or longer. Female inflorescences consist of 1500–2000 reduced flowers attached to a spongy core. The fruits are edible, large fleshy syncarp, oval or ovoid, 7-12 cm in diameter; the epicarp or fruit exterior has a spiny texture, usually cooked with coconut milk, a common delicacy associated with the fruit. Seeds are 12-150 per fruit, rounded or flattened, about 2.5 cm long with a thin, light brown outer seed coat patterned with darker veins.
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