Beilschmiedia (PROSEA Medicinal plants)
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Introduction |
Beilschmiedia Nees
- Protologue: Wallich, Pl. asiat. rar. 2: 61, 69 (1831).
- Family: Lauraceae
- Chromosome number: x= 12
Origin and geographic distribution
Beilschmiedia consists of about 200 species and occurs throughout the tropics, and also in the Himalayas, subtropical China and Taiwan. Tropical Africa is richest in species; tropical America has some 15 species. The genus is represented in the Malesian area by about 50 species, most of which have a small area of distribution.
Uses
Beilschmiedia is little used in traditional medicine in South-East Asia, where 4 species are recorded to have a medicinal use. A decoction of the bark is taken to treat digestive disorders, and leaves and roots are externally applied in poultices. The wood is sometimes used to treat malaria. In Vietnam bark of the endemic B. sphaerocarpa Lecomte is applied to abscesses.
Beilschmiedia is better known for its timber, which is used for light construction, flooring, mouldings, interior finish, furniture, interior fitting, veneer, plywood and carving.
Properties
The bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid dehatrine was obtained from B. madang wood as an important antimalarial principle. It was isolated as a racemic mixture of two optical isomers. It significantly inhibited the growth of a cultured Plasmodium falciparum K1-strain resistant to chloroquine, with an activity similar to quinine.
Botany
- Evergreen shrubs or small to medium-sized or fairly large trees up to 35(-40) m tall.
- Leaves arranged spirally or alternate to opposite, simple and entire, leathery, with glandular dots and aromatic when crushed, pinnately veined, often prominently reticulate below; stipules absent.
- Inflorescence an axillary, lateral or subterminal raceme or panicle, usually short and few-flowered.
- Flowers bisexual, regular, 3-merous, small; perianth segments 6, united in a short tube; stamens 6 or 9, in 3 rows inserted on the perianth tube, usually short-stalked staminodes in an innermost row; ovary superior, 1-celled, style short, conical, obtuse, with an inconspicuous stigma.
- Fruit a 1-seeded berry, oblong to ovoid.
- Seed without albumen, with a thin testa; cotyledons large, flat, convex.
- Seedling with hypogeal germination.
Although evergreen, most of the species flower and develop new reddish leaves periodically. Pollination is by insects; seed dispersal takes place by animals which eat the fleshy fruits.
Beilschmiedia is one of the Lauraceae genera in South-East Asia whose species are still comparatively unknown and ill-defined. It requires a thorough taxonomic revision. The genus is probably most closely related to Cryptocarya and Dehaasia and is characterized by the absence of a persistent involucre, a deciduous perianth, 2-celled anthers, often reticulately veined leaves and the naked fruiting pedicel which may be slightly thickened.
Ecology
Beilschmiedia usually occurs in primary lowland rain forest, sometimes ascending into the montane zone up to 1400(-1750) m altitude. It is usually an element of the subcanopy or canopy layer.
Management
Beilschmiedia can be propagated by seed. About 45% of the seed of B. madang germinates in 1-3.5 months.
Genetic resources
In the Malesian region a large number of Beilschmiedia species are found and most have a small area of distribution in primary lowland rain forest. Therefore, the genetic diversity may be reduced through conversion of natural forest into other vegetation types.
Prospects
The in-vitro antimalarial activity of B. madang deserves further research in view of the ongoing battle against drug-resistant malaria parasites.
Literature
121, 485, 541.
Selection of species
Authors
- Nguyen Kim Dao
