Microcos latifolia (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Microcos latifolia (Masters) Burret

Family: Tiliaceae

Synonyms

• Grewia latifolia Masters.

Vernacular names

• Peninsular Malaysia: cenderai gajah, damak-damak bulu, tajam damak.

Distribution

India, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore.

Uses

The fruits are edible and in Malaysia they are used in curries and chutneys.

Observations

• Shrubby tree, 7-13 m tall, branchlets tomentose.
• Leaves broad-elliptic, 15-22 cm × 9-12 cm, stellate-pubescent beneath.
• Fruit an obovoid drupe, ca. 2 cm × 1.5 cm, yellow, sparsely pubescent.

Selected sources

• Burkill, I.H., 1966. A dictionary of the economic products of the Malay Peninsula. 2nd ed. 2 Volumes. Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 2444 pp.

• Ridley, H.N., 1922-1925. The Flora of the Malay Peninsula. 5 Volumes. Government of the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States. L. Reeve & Co., London.

Authors

P.C.M. Jansen, J. Jukema, L.P.A. Oyen, T.G. van Lingen