Myrica javanica (PROSEA)
From PlantUse English
Introduction |
Myrica javanica Blume
- Family: Myricaceae
Vernacular names
- Indonesia: ki teke (Sundanese), picisan, wuru ketek (Javanese)
- Philippines: hindang (Central Bisaya).
Distribution
Throughout Malesia.
Uses
The wood is valued as fuel and makes excellent charcoal. It is used for reforestation and as an amenity tree. The fruits are edible though insipid.
Observations
- Much branched, monoecious tree or shrub, 2-10 m tall, with crooked stem and rather dense crown. Branchlets greyish-black, with yellow glands when young.
- Leaves elliptical to obovate, 4-14 cm × 2-7.5 cm, apex rounded, sometimes emarginate, shallowly serrate, coriaceous, with many sessile, yellow, caducous glands.
- Male inflorescence a catkin, solitary or variously grouped into larger aggregates, 4-18 cm long, usually branched towards the apex; bract ovate, acute, 2-3 mm long; male flowers in axil of bracteole, studded with persistent yellow glands; tepals absent; stamens 4; filaments connate for greater part.
- Female inflorescence an axillary catkin, solitary, unbranched or branched sparingly, 3-7 cm long; bract 1.5-2 mm long; female flowers 5 or more together, imbricate; bracteoles 2; tepals absent; ovary ellipsoid-ovoid, studded with round tubercles.
- Fruit a berry, 1-2 per catkin, broadly ellipsoid, with many yellow glands, black.
M. javanica flowers throughout the year. It occurs from 900-3300 m altitude and prefers sunny, open sites, often on volcanic ridges where it is a pioneer species becoming gregarious. In dense forest it is often dominant.
Selected sources
- Flora Malesiana (various editors), 1950-. Series 1. Volume 1, 4-. Kluwer, Dordrecht & Flora Malesiana Foundation, Leiden, the Netherlands.
- 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