Microcos paniculata (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Microcos paniculata L.

Family: Tiliaceae

• Grewia microcos L.,
• Grewia ulmifolia Roxb.
• Grewia glabra Jack

• Laos: khom
• Thailand: ka phla (peninsular), khom (northern), laai (central)
• Vietnam: bung lai, mé.

From Sri Lanka and India to Indo-China, southern China and Thailand. Reports from Peninsular Malaysia and Indonesia (Java and the Lesser Sunda Islands) are questionable, because of the complicated taxonomy.

The leaves are considered eminently suitable for wrapping cigars, e.g. in the Andaman Islands. The light to medium-weight hardwood is used for cabinet work. Rope can be manufactured from the fibrous bark. The fruits are edible. In India M. paniculata is reputed to cure indigestion, eczema, itches, typhoid fever, dysentery and syphilitic ulceration of the mouth. In southern China an infusion of the leaves is taken for indigestion and as a cooling drink. In Indo-China a drink prepared from the roasted and boiled leaves is given to children as a vermifuge. Loppings can be used as green manure.

• A small to medium-sized, deciduous shrub or tree up to 20 m tall; bole up to 50 cm in diameter; bark dark brown to blackish. Indumentum of stellate and simple hairs.
• Leaves distichous; petiole 0.5-1 cm long; blade elliptical to oblong, 8-17 cm × 4-8 cm, margin undulate to entire, apex acute, glabrous, tertiary venation scalariform and distinct below.
• Flowers in terminal and axillary cymes arranged paniculately, 5-merous, pale yellow; sepals free, obovate, about 4 mm long; petals free, glabrous, about half the size of the sepals; stamens many, with dorsifixed anthers; ovary superior, 2-4-locular, glabrous, style subulate.
• Fruit a globose to obovate drupe, about 1.5 cm × 1 cm, purplish, glabrous, with leathery pericarp.

M. paniculata is found in mixed deciduous and dry evergreen forest, often along streams, up to 1000 m altitude. In Thailand it flowers and fruits in April-June. Some authors consider M. tomentosa Smith (synonym: Grewia paniculata Roxb. ex DC.) as a synonym of M. paniculata, which sometimes causes confusion in literature.

15, 28, 49, 50, 60, 61, 66. stimulants

• M.S.M. Sosef