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The Fish poison tree (Barringtonia asiatica) belongs to Lecythidaceae (the Brazil nut family). It is a tall evergreen tree that is widely distributed from the Nansei Islands of Japan south to Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and Polynesia. It grows near the coast and is 8 to 15 m tall. The leaves are about 30 cm long, leathery, and shiny. The fragrant flowers, which resemble those of the "nemunoki", bloom at night but fall off in the morning. The fruits are shaped like "Goban-no-ashi" (legs of a go board). They are light and can be carried far by ocean currents. The seeds contain fish poison, which is used for fishing. In Taiwanese, it is called "Šû”Õ腳Ž÷".
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