Cryptocarya massoy (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia
Introduction

Protologue: New and critical Mal. pl. 3 (For. Serv. Indon., Bur. For. Planning): 21 (1955).

Synonyms

Cinnamomum massoy Oken (1841), Cryptocarya novoguineensis Teschner (1923), Cryptocarya aromatica (Becc.) Kosterm. (1949).

Vernacular names

Massoi, massoia (En)
Indonesia: ai kor, ai kori (Irian Jaya)
Malaysia: misoi, mesui, mersawir (Peninsular).

Distribution

New Guinea and possibly north-eastern Australia.

Uses

The wood is used as medang. More important is the use of the aromatic bark (massoi bark), a decoction of which is used externally to relieve sore muscles and headache. Internally it is used against fever, diarrhoea and for women after childbirth. Mixed with other substances massoi is used as a tonic, and also added to many local medicines.

Observations

A medium-sized tree up to 25 m tall, bole rarely more than 30 cm in diameter; leaves arranged spirally, 9-12 cm × 4-5 cm, broadly acuminate; inflorescence up to 10 cm long; perianth 2.5-3 mm long, the lobes 1-1.5 times as long as the tube, pedicel 0.5-1 mm long, fertile stamens 9, hirsute; fruit globose, 1-2 cm in diameter, ribbed. C. massoy occurs in forest up to about 1000 m altitude. The density of the wood is 600-790 kg/m³at 15% moisture content.

Selected sources

12, 309, 316, 474, 635, 695.