Carabao teats (Uvaria rufa). Flowers and fruits.

Carabao teats - Uvaria rufa

Uvaria rufa is a species of vines or shrubs commonly known as susung-kalabaw ('Carabao teats') or Torres Strait scrambler, of the plant family Annonaceae. It grows naturally in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, New Guinea, more widely in Malesia and in Cape York Peninsula Australia. The edible fruits are much esteemed locally, being commonly harvested from the wild and also sold in local markets.

The name susung-kalabaw means “Carabao teats” which is a buffalo from the Philippines.

Uvaria rufa is widely distributed in open forests in southern and eastern tropical Asia between 400 and 1700 m.

Uvaria rufa is a rare, monoecious, evergreen, scrambling or climbing, woody shrub that grows to a height of 4 to 6 meters.

Its deep green leaves are elliptic, arranged alternately and have a heart-shaped base. The surface is velvety and coarse to the touch on top, with soft hairs underneath.

The flowers are small and have purple to deep red waxy petals. Its pubescent fragrant flowers are sometimes solitary, sometimes grouped by 2 or 3; they are regular with 6 dark red petals around a yellowish globular heart.

The fruits, which appear from May to August, are aggregates of round or oblong berries colored deep orange or a rich red when ripe, velvety with whitish pulp, acidulous, edible. They are grouped in a cluster, a bit like that of grapes, uva in Latin. Each contains numerous seeds encased in a translucent pulp.

The fruits of Uvaria rufa are edible, with granular flesh, having a sharp sweet-sour taste. They are known colloquially as Suso ng kalabaw or susung-kalabaw ('Carabao teats') because of its physical appearance.

Uvaria rufa it is also a medicinal plant used as an oxytocic especially for young women who have given birth, an alcoholic decoction of the roots would give them tone and would also be good for their milk. But this decoction is also given in case of fever.

The fruits crushed in water are applied to relieve itching.

The bark has been shown to contain alkaloids. A decoction from its bark, especially in Timor, Indonesia, and Laos (where it's called kam lang seua khong, "strength of the royal tiger"), is used to treat male sexual dysfunction and as a general revitalizer.

The wood  of Uvaria rufa is also used as a Rattan substitute in making furniture and handicrafts.

 
Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uvaria_rufa
https://www.pha-tad-ke.com/plant/uvaria-rufa/