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<big>''[[Cordia subcordata]]'' Lam.</big>

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{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Cordia subcordata'' (PROTA)}}

:Protologue: Tab. encycl. 1: 421 (1792).

:Family: Boraginaceae

== Vernacular names ==

The wood is easy to saw and can be worked well with both hand and machine tools. It takes a good finish with nice lustre when a filler is used. It is not durable in exposed situations and attacked by powder-post and longhorn beetles, termites, as well as decay fungi, but it is durable for interior work. The heartwood is resistant to impregnation with preservatives, even when using a pressure treatment. The wood is reported to burn fast and can easily be ignited by rubbing 2 pieces of wood together.

Evergreen shrub or small tree up to 15(–20) m tall; bole branchless for up to 8 m, often crooked, up to 60(–100) cm in diameter, without buttresses; bark surface smooth in young trees, becoming fissured and scaly in older trees, brown to dark brown, inner bark pale brown, turning greenish brown upon exposure; crown rounded to irregular, with spreading branches; twigs slightly ridged, nearly glabrous, pale grey. Leaves alternate, crowded near the ends of twigs, simple and entire; stipules absent; petiole 1.5–11 cm long; blade broadly ovate to broadly elliptical or nearly round, 4–34 cm × 3–17 cm, usually rounded at base, rounded to acute or short-acuminate at apex, papery but slightly fleshy, nearly glabrous, pinnately veined with c. 6 pairs of lateral veins. Inflorescence an axillary or terminal cyme up to 14 cm long, short-hairy when young, up to 20-flowered. Flowers bisexual, regular, heterostylous; pedicel up to 0.5(–1) cm long; calyx cylindrical to funnel-shaped, 1–2 cm long, with 3–5 lobes 2–5 mm long; corolla orange to red, sometimes white, with funnel-shaped tube 2–3 cm long and 5–7 spreading lobes 1.5–2.5 cm long; stamens inserted just below the middle of corolla tube, 3–8 mm long; ovary superior, conical, c. 3 mm long, glabrous, style 2–3 cm long, twice bifid with 4 stigmas. Fruit an ovoid to nearly globose drupe 1.5–4 cm × 2–3 cm, glabrous, yellow to red, becoming blackish, completely enclosed by the persistent calyx, with corky pulp and angular and ridged stone containing 1–2 seeds. Seeds elongate, 10–13 mm long, whitish.

Trees grow fast on moderately fertile and well-drained sites. In Indonesia seedlings reached a height of 1–1.5 m 10 months after planting, 4–5 m after 2 years and on average 7 m after 4 years with an average diameter of 6.5 cm. Heavy branches often develop low on the stem and form a wide spreading crown. ''Cordia subcordata'' has an extensive, shallow root system. The flowers are probably pollinated by insects such as bees. Trees of 3 years old may already produce fruits. The corky fruits float in water and are dispersed by sea currents.

''Cordia'' is a large pantropical genus of about 250 species, with the majority of the species occurring in the New World and about 35 species indigenous in tropical Africa. It is a variable genus and it has been suggested that it should be split up in several genera.

== Ecology ==

In many areas ''Cordia subcordata'' is a fairly common constituent of vegetation along the beach and of secondary forest and thicket close to the seashore. It is adapted to strong, salt-laden winds. It mainly occurs in regions with more than 1500 mm/year of rainfall and with no real dry season, but can also be found in regions with 1000–1200 mm of annual rainfall and a pronounced dry season. The mean annual temperature is usually in the range of 24–28°C. ''Cordia subcordata'' is usually found on deep sandy soils, also on sand dunes and often on coralline sands over limestone. It prefers neutral to slightly alkaline soils. The soil may contain moderate levels of salt. In East Africa ''Cordia subcordata'' is most commonly found on sea shores above the high tide mark in sheltered localities.

== Management ==

''Cordia subcordata'' has been classified as a pioneer species and can grow in full sunlight. However, trees grown under these circumstances are hardly suited for timber production, and it is recommended to plant young trees in the partial shade of other trees. They are not very shade tolerant but can develop reasonably well under light conditions above 30% relative light intensity. Frequent weeding may be necessary, as well as thinning and pruning. For timber production rotations of 60–70 years are recommended. The bole of older trees often develops heart rot. The larvae of the moth ''Ethmia nigroapicella'' may cause serious damage to trees by defoliation.

== Genetic resources ==

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