Local names:
Fijian (natoro,baumuri), Samoan (poumuli), Tongan (poumuli)
Securinega flexuosa is a deciduous, shrub or small or rarely medium-sized tree up to 10(-30) m tall; bole often irregular, branchless for up to 6 m, up to 30(-50) cm in diameter, sometimes with indistinct buttresses; bark surface smooth, becoming fissured and scaly with age, peeling in small, thin strips, lenticellate, pale grey to pale brown. Leaves arranged spirally but distichous on twigs, simple, entire, with short petioles; stipules small. Flowers in an axillary fascicle, unisexual, small, whitish or greenish-yellow; sepals 5; petals absent. Male flowers with 3-5 stamens; disk composed of 5 glands; pistillode present. Female flowers with an annular, crenate disk; ovary superior, 3-locular with 2 ovules in each cell, styles short, connate at base, stigmas deeply 2-lobed or double 2-lobed. Fruit drupaceous, many in clusters, fleshy, red turning black when ripe. Seed angled.
Ecology
S. flexuosa has been found in primary forest at low altitudes and in dense shrub savanna. It is often a pioneer growing in river floodplains, fallowed fields and abandoned coconut plantations. S. flexuosa is a light-demanding tree.
Native range
Fiji, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu
Tree management
S. flexuosa has been found in primary forest at low altitudes and in dense shrub savanna. It is often a pioneer growing in river floodplains, fallowed fields and abandoned coconut plantations. S. flexuosa is a light-demanding tree.
Apiculture: Pollen and nectar (honey) can be obtained from the flowers.
It also yields a good fuelwood.
Timber: S. flexuosa yields a heavy hardwood with a density of 810-935 kg/m cubic at 15% moisture content. Heartwood pale yellowish-brown, hardly distinguishable from the up to 3 cm wide pale sapwood; grain straight; texture moderately fine; wood fairly lustrous; wood with a bitter taste. The wood is hard and strong but somewhat brittle. It finishes well, is durable and not susceptible to fungal or dry-wood termite attack. The sapwood is non-susceptible to Lyctus. In the Philippines the wood of S. flexuosa is locally highly valued for house and fence posts, and additionally used for joists, rafters and tool handles.
Tannin or dyestuff: The leaves are used for staining.
Medicine: The bark is applied medicinally in a fever-reducing drink.