Pemphis acidula

The bantigue is a common name for this species, which is commonly called. bahn-TEE-geh) or mentigi, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lythraceae. It can be found on the rocky shores of tropical Indo-Pacific mangroves. The genus Pemphis, to which it belongs, was until recently thought to have only this single species, first described in 1775 and long considered the type species, but is now believed to have at least one other.

Uses

The wood of this species has been traditionally valued in many cultures for it is hard and heavy, as well as resistant to rot and warping. This wood can be used to make walking canes and fence posts, as well as tool handles and anchors. In Reunion and Mauritius it is known as bois matelot In the Maldives this hardy wood was used in traditional shipbuilding to hold the planks of the hull together, as well as to fashion “nails” in local sorcery.

The plant species used for bonsai is Pemphis acidula. Due to its tropical preference and typhoon-resistance, it is the most common species for bonsai in the Philippines; but it is also grown as bonsai in Taiwan and the Ryukyu Islands of Japan. Due to its popularity and high value among bonsai enthusiasts, it is among the list of species classified as ‘threatened’ by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources of the Philippines. The collection, selling, and transport of wild Pemphis acidula is illegal in the Philippines and punishable by fines and imprisonment of up to six years.

In Marovo Island, Tonga, Tahiti, and other South Pacific islands, it is used to make wooden tools such as pestles, tool handles, weapons, and combs.