Prunus arborea
Content
Description
Trees up to 35 m, sometimes buttressed, bark usually smooth, brown or grey, strongly smelling, sometimes (var. densa, stipulacea, alticola) shrubs.
Leaves elliptic to oblong or ovate to lanceolate, 3-25 by 1.5-13 cm, base acute to subcordate, apex acute to acuminate, herbaceous to coriaceous, with 5-16 pairs of nerves, sparsely to densely pubescent when young, indumentum rapidly disappearing or persistent, basal glands usually 2, flat or slighdy to distinctly hollowed, Petiole (0.2-)0.5-1.5(-2) cm.
Stipules variable in shape and size, free, sometimes with conspicuous glands outside, sometimes rather persistent.
Flowers fragrant.
Stamens 10-50(-60), filaments up to 7 mm, often hairy at base, anthers 0.2 -1 mm long.
Ovary densely hairy, style up to 5.5 mm, hairy at base.
Fruits globular (not in Malesia) or subglobular to transversely ellipsoid or didymous, 5-11.5 by 7-17 mm, more or less hairy, from green turning white, red, and ultimately purple or black, the endocarp glabrous or hairy inside.
Seed with hairy or glabrous testa.
Uses
Timber useful in house building. Bark once reported to be suitable for making rice containers (var. robusta, Flores, Schmutz 2803).
Notes
This variable species was previously (Kalkman, l.c.) divided into five varieties of which one, var. montana (Hook. f.) Kalkman, does not occur in Malesia. A sixth variety, var. alticola, can now be added. The varieties are connected by odd intermediary specimens.
Citation
Miq. 1855 – In: Fl. Ind. Bat.: 361
C. Muell. 1857 – In: Walp., Ann. 4: 642
Koord. & Valeton 1900: p. 350. – In: Bijdr. Booms. Java: incl. vars.
Corner 1988 – In: Wayside Trees Malaya, ed. 3: 619
Ridley 1922 – In: Fl. Mai. Penins.: 675
Backer & Bakh.f. 1964 – In: Ft. Java: 520
Prance & Whitmore 1973 – In: Tree Fl. Malaya: 338
Cockburn 1980: p. 96. – In: Trees Sabah: f. 26
Koord. 1913 – In: Adas: pl. 112, 113