Eden

Penang Botanic Gardens Plant Collection

Aphanamixis polystachya (Wall.) R.Parker (MELIACEAE)

Posted at — Nov 13, 2019

Description

Small tree to 20-30 m tall, diam. to 25 cm, often crooked. Leaves compound with terminal leaflets, 45-125 cm long. Inflorescence to 60 cm long with white flowers. Fruits to 4 cm diam., reddish pink, pericarp sometimes with white latex. Seeds covered with orange oily aril.

Ecology

Lowland to hill forest to 1400 m elevation.

Distribution

Widespread, Indo-Malesia from Sri Lanka and India to Bhutan, tropical China and Indo-China, throughout Malesia, to the Solomon Islands

Uses

Timber used in house construction and furniture. In India, oil is extracted from the seeds for soapmaking. Both seeds and bark have medicinal value. Mashed leaves are sometimes used as an insecticide.