Talking about endemic flora and fauna, the land of Papua is probably one of the richest places in it. You can find thousands of unique flora and fauna you cannot find anywhere else. One of the most famous ones is definitely the Papuan red fruit. A fruit you can only find in Papua.
Its shape is unique, long, oval, and red. The outer texture of the fruit is similar to jackfruit but with a body similar to that of a giant radish. According to various studies, this fruit does have many good benefits. That is why people are starting to be curious about this endemic flora of Papua.
The Overview of Papuan Red Fruit
For those who do not know, red fruit is a plant part of pandan. The binomial name of Papuan red fruit is Pandanus Conoideus, a part of the Pandanus. Because it is still in the genus Pandanus, it is not surprising that the tree resembles other pandan trees.
However, the height of the Papuan red fruit tree is indeed higher than the rest of its genus. This tree can reach a height of 16 meters, with stems that can reach 5 to 8 meters. Then, underneath, there are strong roots that support the tree.
The fruit is large, with an average length of 55 cm and a diameter of 10 cm to 15 cm. The weight is quite heavy, ranging from 2 kg to 3 kg.
The Benefits of Papuan Red Fruit
As mentioned before, there are a lot of benefits of Papuan red fruit that you can get. Local people use this endemic plant as medicine. This is because red fruit has antioxidants that can counteract free radicals. In addition, the components in red fruit also have the potential to cure several diseases.
Local people use red fruit to cure skin, eye, and intestinal worms. In addition, this fruit is also suitable for increasing stamina and endurance. This is because red fruit contains oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, decanoic acid, Omega 3, and 9. It is good for you.
Aside from that, red fruit also has other active compounds that are beneficial to the human body. That is carotene, beta carotene, and tocopherol at a fairly high rate. In several studies, red fruit has been shown to cure several diseases. This red fruit is definitely good for your health.
You can also prevent other diseases like hypertension, cholesterol, osteoporosis, cancer, and strokes. Then this fruit is also good for diabetics and also goiter sufferers. How to consume Papuan red fruit is also very easy. You can eat it straight away or cook it beforehand.
The Habitats of Papuan Red Fruit
There are several areas in Papua where the red fruit grows, whether in the highlands or the lowlands. Starting from Wamena, Jayapura, Nabire, Manokwari, Sorong, and also Bintuni Bay. What makes it more interesting is that red fruit in those various regions has different characteristics.
The most visible one is probably the colors. Even though its name is red fruit, not all of them have the color red. But apparently, there are also red fruits that have a color of brown and yellowish. However, most of them have a maroon color when the fruit is ripe.
Aside from its color, its shape and the composition of nutritional content in this fruit are also different. Several factors influence this difference. That is a hybridization between accessions, genetic mutations, migration, introductions, and differences in ecogeography.
However, whatever its color, shape, and also its nutritional composition, everyone still knows it as the Papuan red fruit. This fruit has become the hallmark and identity of the Papuan community.