Due to its importance as a source of timber for the traditional shipbuilding of large outrigger ships, it has been spread in prehistoric times by the migrations of the Austronesian peoples to the islands of Oceania and Madagascar, along with other members of the genus Calophyllum.

[2] In Island Southeast Asia and Oceania, it is also commonly known as bintangur, bitaog, tamanu, or kamani.

the fruit (the ballnut) appears as rounded and green drupe with 2–4 cm (0.79–1.57 in) in diameter and a single large seed is located at the center.

[11][12] Calophyllum inophyllum is native to Africa in: Comoros; Kenya; Madagascar; Mauritius; Mozambique; Seychelles; and Tanzania (including Pemba Island of the Zanzibar Archipelago).

[citation needed] Mastwood is notable for its ability to grow to massive sizes in sandy or rocky beaches of island and coastal habitats, as well as its habit of sending out arching large trunks over the water where its seeds are dispersed via the currents.

[16][4] Due to these characters, mastwood is of particular importance to traditional shipbuilding of the larger Austronesian outrigger ships and was carried with them as they migrated to Oceania and Madagascar.

The large curving limbs were commonly carved into the dugout canoe that formed the keel of the Austronesian outrigger ships.

[4] In many parts of Polynesia, mastwood groves planted in marae were considered sacred and the abodes of spirits.

[22] The fatty acid methyl esters derived from C. inophyllum seed oil meets the major biodiesel requirements in the United States (ASTM D 6751), and European Union (EN 14214).

[citation needed] In the northwest coastal areas of Luzon Island in the Philippines, the oil was used for night lamps.

[citation needed] It was also used as fuel to generate electricity to provide power for radios during World War II.