Locally known as 'Kuhlhavah', mangrove apple tree usually grows up to 15 meters tall. The trunk of the tree is brown to grey and slightly fissured, with smooth waxy brown bark on young stems and branches.it has underground roots as well as upright breathing roots that are 1.5 meters tall, at the base. The flowers of the plant have dark red petals, with numerous pinkish-white stamens. The flowers open at dusk and last for 1 night. They have a scent, similar to butter or sour milk and are rich in nectar, attracting bats, bees and nectivorous birds. The green fruit of the plant is round and leathery. It's buoyant, water dispersed seeds are irregular shaped and embedded in the fleshy pulp. The fruit is enjoyed raw or with 'rihaakuru' (Maldivian fish paste) and noodle soup powder or it is even made into curries, served with seafood, or processed to make jams, juices, milkshakes, and sometimes made into a dessert by adding sugar and coconut to it. Kuhlhavah is found in the most mangroves in the Maldives, in varying numbers.