Litsea monopetala (Roxb.) Persoon
Family
Lauraceae
Synonyms
Tetranthera monopetala Roxb., Litsea polyantha A.L. Juss., Tetranthera alnoides Miq.
Vernacular Names
| Malaysia | Medang busok, bangang (Peninsular). |
| Indonesia | Huru koneng, huru manuk (Sundanese, Java), gempur (Javanese, Java). |
| Thailand | Kathang (Peninsular). |
| Myanmar | Ondon laukya. |
Geographical Distributions
Litsea monopetala is found in India, Burma (Myanmar), throughout Indo-China, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia and Java.
Description
Litsea monopetala is a small tree which can reach up to 18 m tall. The bole is straight to crooked, measuring up to 60 cm in diametre, with longitudinally fissured bark surface and dark grayish while the inner bark is brown mottled.
The leaves are arranged alternately, measuring 4.5-17 cm x 2.5-10 cm, blunt to acute, hairless above, sparsely hairy below, sunken above midrib, with 6-13 pairs of secondary veins which are sunken above, with scalariform tertiary venation, distinct below and with petiole 1-2.5 cm long .
The flowers are in umbellules and peduncled in short racemes, with (4-)6 tepals and 9-12 stamens.
The fruit is 0.7-1.2 cm long, oblong to ellipsoid and seated on a small flat perianth cup.
Ecology / Cultivation
Litsea monopetala is locally common in mixed lowlands and montane evergreen or semi-deciduous forests, up to 1500 m altitude.
Line Drawing / Photograph
References
- Plant Resources of South-East Asia No. 5(2): Timber trees: Minor commercial timbers.
