Macaranga tanarius (L.) Müll. Arg. 

Family

Euphorbiaceae

Synonyms

None

Vernacular Names

Geographical Distributions

Its distribution is from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Indo-China, southern China, Taiwan and the Ryukyu Islands, through Thailand and the whole of the Malesian region, to northern Australia and Melanesia.

Description

This is a small to medium-sized tree that can reach up to 20(-27) m tall.

The leaves are orbicular-ovate with a size of 8-32 cm x 5-28 cm. They are not usually lobed, hairy when young, leaf stalk is deeply attached to the lower surface, large stipules and caducous.

The male flowers are in branched panicles that are up to 34 cm long and with (3-)5-6(-10) stamens while the female flowers are with 2-celled ovary and 2 large styles.

The fruit is about 1 cm in diametre, with long and soft prickles on the apex and yellowish-glandular outside.

Ecology / Cultivation

M. tanarius is often very common in secondary forest, especially in logged areas, but occurs also in thickets, brushwood, village groves and beach vegetation, up to 2100 m altitude.

Line Drawing / Photograph

References

1. Plant Resources of South-East Asia No.12(3): Medicinal and poisonous plants 3.