Microcos tomentosa (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Microcos tomentosa J.E. Smith

Family: Tiliaceae

Synonyms

• Grewia blumei Hassk.,
• Grewia cumingiana Turcz.,
• Grewia paniculata Roxb. ex DC.

Vernacular names

• Indonesia: talok (general), darowak (Sundanese), dluwak (Javanese)
• Malaysia: cenderai, cenerah, jenerai (Peninsular)
• Laos: khom som
• Cambodia: popli:ë. Laos: kh'o:m sôm (Vientiane)
• Thailand: khom kliang (south-eastern), khom som (north-eastern), khom-kliang (south-eastern), phla lai (peninsular)
• Vietnam: cò ke.

Distribution

Throughout South-East Asia, southern China and eastern India.

Uses

The wood is used for fuel, charcoal making and timber for indoor construction. Because of its light weight, strength and elasticity it is suitable for making tool handles, agricultural implements and sporting goods.

Observations

• Shrub or bushy tree, up to 17 m tall and up to 40 cm in trunk diameter. Crown dense, rounded or cylindrical, rather drab green. Trunk often fluted. Bark dark grey to brownish buff, entire, slightly flaky. Branches arching out and drooping.
• Leaves obovate, 7.5-20 cm × 3-9 cm, hairy on both sides, margin serrate, undulate to entire on the lower half, 3-nerved from leaf base.
• Inflorescence a terminal or axillary panicle, 3-15 cm long.
• Flowers 5-merous; sepals spathulate; petals triangular, 2-3 mm × 0.5 mm.
• Fruit a globose to ellipsoid drupe, 1-1.5 cm × 0.5-1 cm, skin hairy, leathery, green, turning black when ripe.

M. tomentosa occurs in moist deciduous and evergreen forest; in Java and Malaysia, very common but scattered in secondary forest, from 0-600 m altitude. M. tomentosa should not be confused with Microcos paniculata L. (synonym Grewia microcos L.) or Grewia tomentosa Juss., especially as various authors disagree about whether the genera Grewia L. and Microcos L. should be united.

Selected sources

• Backer, C.A. & Bakhuizen van den Brink Jr., R.C., 1963-1968. Flora of Java. 3 volumes. Wolters-Noordhoff, Groningen, the Netherlands. 647, 641, 761 pp.
• Burrett, M., 1926. Beiträge zur Kenntnis der Tiliaceen [Contributions to the knowledge of the Tiliaceae]. Notizblatt des Botanischen Gartens und Museums zu Berlin-Dahlem 9: 592-880.
• Koorders, S.H. & Valeton, T., 1894-1914. Bijdrage tot de kennis der boomsoorten van Java [Contribution to the knowledge of the tree species of Java]. 13 volumes. G. Kolff, Batavia & Mededeelingen uit 's-Lands Plantentuin, Departement van Landbouw, Batavia, Dutch East Indies.

Authors

• M.S.M. Sosef & L.J.G. van der Maesen

• M.S.M. Sosef (general part, selection of species) (Timbers)