Vitex altissima (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Vitex altissima L.f.

Protologue: Suppl. pl.: 294 (1782).

Distribution

India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indo-China, Sumatra and New Guinea; possibly also Java.

Uses

The timber is used for construction, cabinet-work, furniture, turnery, agricultural implements and cart wheels; it is highly prized in India and Sri Lanka. A yellow dye can be extracted from the wood. The juice from the bark is used externally against rheumatic swellings and chest pains. The tree seems to have good prospects as an ornamental.

Observations

A medium-sized tree up to 25(-33) m tall; leaves 3-foliolate, petiole winged towards the apex, leaflets slightly pubescent below; inflorescence axillary and terminal, paniculate; calyx lobes subequal, c. 1 mm long, corolla whitish-purple to violet; fruit subglobose, 5-8 mm in diameter, bluish-black when mature. V. altissima is common in forests in India and Sri Lanka, but probably rather rare in Malesia. The density of the wood is 800-1010 kg/m³at 15% moisture content; the wood is hard and durable.

Selected sources

36, 115, 120, 185, 234, 344, 438, 648, 706.