Madhuca ovata (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Madhuca ovata H.J.Lam

Protologue: Sapotaceae

Synonyms

Bassia forbesii King, Madhuca forbesii (King) Moore.

Vernacular names

• Indonesia: regis itam, balam sudu (Sumatra)
• Malaysia: nyatoh balak, nyatoh balong kayam (Peninsular).

Distribution

Indonesia (Sumatra, Java), Malaysia (Peninsular).

Uses

The tree produces a kind of gutta-percha. The fragrance of the flowers resembles that of Jasminum sambac (L.) Aiton.

Observations

Tree, up to 25 m tall with slender branches. Leaves alternate; petiole up to 3 cm long; blade oblong-ovate to elliptical, 8-20 cm × 4-8 cm, base cuneate, apex acuminate, secondary veins 10-15 pairs. Inflorescence an axillary cluster with 3-8 flowers; flowers bisexual, 4-merous, white, fragrant; calyx 4 mm long with 2 inner and 2 outer lobes; corolla tubular, tube 1 mm long, lobes 8-10, narrow, 4 mm long; stamens 16-20, in 2 whorls, about 3 mm long. Fruit an ovoid to obovoid berry, about 2 cm × 0.5 cm, ferruginously puberulous. Seed ellipsoid-fusiform, about 1.5 cm × 3 mm. M. ovata is a rather rare tree of primary forest, in Java flowering in October, occurring up to about 1100 m altitude.

Selected sources

11, 28, 43.