Maesa latifolia (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Maesa latifolia (Blume) A. DC.

Family: Myrsinaceae

Synonyms

• Maesa blumei G. Don,
• M. pyrifolia Miquel.

Vernacular names

• Indonesia: kipeit (West Java).

Distribution

Indonesia (Java, Sumatra), wild and cultivated.

Uses

Young leaves and shoots, especially the thin glabrous ones, are eaten as vegetable by the Sundanese in West Java.

Observations

• Erect shrub, 1-6 m tall.
• Leaves alternate, very variable in shape and size, lanceolate, elliptical to ovate, 1.5-20 cm × 1-12 cm.

In mountainous regions at 300-1500 m altitude. Often cultivated in fences and propagated by cuttings or suckers. To get tender leaves, frequent topping is necessary.

Selected sources

7, 66.