Maoutia diversifolia (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Maoutia diversifolia (Blume) Wedd.

Family: Urticaceae

Vernacular names

• Indonesia: beubeunteuran, ki beunteur (Sundanese), bale (Javanese).

Distribution

Indonesia (Java).

Uses

The tough bark is used for binding.

Observations

A shrub, 2-5 m tall. Leaves simple, spirally arranged; stipules connate into axillary scale, broadly triangular, early caducous; petiole 2.5-10 cm long; blade ovate-oblong or lanceolate, 8-25 cm × 3-10 cm, base obtuse, rounded or subcordate, margin crenate-serrate, basal veins extending upwards over 2/3-4/5 of the leaf length. Inflorescence an axillary, mostly paired, lax cyme, 3-15 cm long; flowers unisexual; male flowers with 5-parted perianth, 5 stamens, rudiment of pistil lanate; female flowers with minute or absent perianth, perianth and ovary hairy, stigma recurved, oblong. Fruit rostrate. In Java M. diversifolia occurs from 500-1800 m altitude. It is found along terraces, in forest margins, on water sides and in young secondary forest. The bast fibre of M. setosa Wedd., found in the Philippines, Taiwan and Japan, is recorded as being used in the Philippines for making coarse cloth, rope and nets. M. puya (Hook.) Wedd. ("puya-hemp" or "Nepal-hemp") grows wild in India, Nepal, Burma (Myanmar) and south-western China; it is occasionally cultivated for its strong bast fibre, which resembles ramie ( Boehmeria nivea (L.) Gaudich.) and is made into rope, twine, nets, bags, cloth and sails. It has also been recorded in Java. In New Guinea the bark of an unidentified Maoutia species is used for string, which is made into aprons and other items.

Selected sources

6, 27, 30, 66, 71, 138, 197, 201.

Authors

M. Brink, P.C.M. Jansen & C.H. Bosch