Polyalthia cauliflora (PROSEA)

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Plant Resources of South-East Asia
Introduction
List of species


Polyalthia cauliflora Hook. f. & Thomson

Protologue: Fl. ind. 1: 138 (1855).

Synonyms

  • Polyalthia beccarii King (1893),
  • Polyalthia desmantha (Hook. f. & Thomson) Ridley,
  • Unona wrayi Hemsley.

Vernacular names

  • Malaysia: jambul burong chichit, larak merah, buah larak merah, pokok ruseh, mengala hutan (Peninsular)
  • Thailand: champa khom (peninsular).

Distribution

Southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra and Borneo.

Uses

In Peninsular Malaysia pounded leaves are applied as a poultice to treat skin diseases. In Sarawak, boiled roots are taken orally as an aid for birth control. The wood is used in house building.

Observations

  • A shrub or small tree, twigs soon glabrous.
  • Leaves broadly elliptical to elliptical-lanceolate, 9-20 cm × 4-8 cm, acute or slightly rounded at base, thinly leathery, petiole 5-7 mm long.
  • Flowers mostly cauliflorous or ramiflorous, petals up to 5.5 cm long, cream-coloured to pinkish-brown.
  • Monocarps ovoid to subglobose, c. 1 cm in diameter, stalk 2-2.5 cm long, 1-2-seeded.


P. cauliflora occurs in lowland forest.

Selected sources

121, 241, 860. medicinals

Main genus page

Authors

  • R.H.M.J. Lemmens