Meliosma sumatrana
Content
Description
Evergreen tree, up to 15-20(-25) m.
Leaves 2-5(-6)-jugate;
Sepals 5 or 4, ovate, unequal, the inner 3 or 4 c. 1-2 mm, the outer 1 or 2 usually smaller, often minute, sometimes lowered on the pedicel, sometimes puberulous out-, side, especially the outer ones, with entire or 2- or 3- J lobed, often ciliolate margin.
Panicles usually terminal, usually narrowly, sometimes widely pyramidal, 7-50(-75) cm, usually profusely branched up to the 4th order, rather stiff and coarse, puberulous, bearing numerous crowded flowers;
Ovary 0.5-1 mm, glabrous.
Fruit globose to short-ellipsoid, when ripe 1-3 cm diam., with rather thick spongy to pulpy mesocarp;
Distribution
Anambas Is present, Asia-Tropical: Borneo present; Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia present); Philippines (Philippines present); Sulawesi (Sulawesi present); Sumatera (Sumatera present), Banka present, Batu & Sipora Is present, Mindanao present, Nias present, Palawan present, Penang I present, W. half of Java present
Malesia: Sumatra (incl. Nias, Batu & Sipora Is., Banka), Malay Peninsula (incl. Penang I.), Anambas Is., W. half of Java, throughout Borneo, Sulawesi, and the Philippines (Mindanao, Palawan). Common. .
Uses
The species was proposed by KOORDERS & VALETON, l.C, for reforestation purposes. In Mindanao the triturated bark and leaves are several times reported to be in use as a medicine applied for wounds, to soothe itchy skin or — charred and put in water — against tympanites. It was also said to be used in agricultural rituals. The fruits are many times reported to be edible.
Notes
Meliosma sumatrana is very constant in its discriminative characters (especially the prominent midrib and entire inner petals), but there is nevertheless some geographical variation, especially in the northern part of Borneo (Sarawak, Sabah). As general tendencies may be noticed that towards the centre of the area leaflets and fruits increase in size and dentate leaflets become more common. Moreover, the number of leaflet pairs decreases when the leaflets are larger.
Sterile hybrids between M. sumatrana and M. pinnata subsp. ridleyi are rarely found (Sabah).
DOCTERS VAN LEEUWEN () described a leaf-gall on a specimen from Sulawesi. This type of galls (usually ball-shaped, c. 4 mm, ending in a short mucro, and surrounded by a calyx-like circumvallation) is rather commonly met with in this species, not only in specimens from Sulawesi, but also from Borneo, Sumatra, and the Malay Peninsula. The galls do not only occur on the lower surface of the leaflets, but occur also on the upper surface, and on rachis and petiolules, often very many crowded together.
Sterile hybrids between M. sumatrana and M. pinnata subsp. ridleyi are rarely found (Sabah).
DOCTERS VAN LEEUWEN () described a leaf-gall on a specimen from Sulawesi. This type of galls (usually ball-shaped, c. 4 mm, ending in a short mucro, and surrounded by a calyx-like circumvallation) is rather commonly met with in this species, not only in specimens from Sulawesi, but also from Borneo, Sumatra, and the Malay Peninsula. The galls do not only occur on the lower surface of the leaflets, but occur also on the upper surface, and on rachis and petiolules, often very many crowded together.
Citation
Miq. 1859 – In: Fl. Ind. Bat.: 616
WALP. 1852 – In: Ann.: 225
Koord. 1912: p. 546. – In: Exk. Fl. Java: f. 81
WALP. 1922: p. 7. – In: Suppl. Cel.: t. 56
WALP. 1934 – In: Contr. Arn. Arb.: 95
NEES 1825 – In: Flora: 106
WALP. 1923 – In: Enum. Philip. Fl. Pl.: 518
MERR. & PERRY 1939 – In: J. Arn. Arb.: 357
WALP. 1861: Sum.: 203
HASSK. 1843 – In: Tijd. Nat. Gesch. Phys.: 139
Koord. 1898: Minah.: 408
Blume 1849: p. 202. – In: Rumphia: t. 169
K. & V. 1903 – In: Bijdr.: 117
MERR. & PERRY 1939 – In: J. Arn. Arb.: 357
Merr. 1952 – In: J. Arn Arb.: 236
Merr. 1921: Enum. Born.: 363
BAKER Ƒ in RENDLE, J. Bot. 62 1924 – In: RENDLE, J. Bot. 62: Suppl. 30
Blume 1849 – In: Rumphia: 202
King 1896 – In: J. As. Soc. Beng.: 457
Blume 1914 – In: Atlas: 377
HEYNE 1927: Nutt. Pl.: 1002
Blume 1871: Illustr.: 74
Blume 1871: Illustr.: 74
Merr. 1921: Enum. Born.: 362
BURK. & HEND. 1925 – In: Gard. Bull. Str. Settl.: 364
HOOK. 1834 – In: J. Bot.: 378
WALP. 1849 – In: Rep.: 416
DIETR. 1839 – In: Syn. Pl.: 103
WALP. 1922 – In: Suppl. Cel.: 28
Blume 1861: Sum.: 203, 520
Blume 1871: Illustr.: 74
WALP. 1852 – In: Ann.: 225
WALP. 1871: Illustr.: 75
RIDLEY 1922 – In: Fl. Mal. Pen.: 515
Blume 1844: Cat. Hort. Bog.: 226
Miq. 1859 – In: Fl. Ind. Bat.: 617
VAN BEUSEKOM 1971 – In: Blumea: 485
HALL.f. 1910 – In: Meded. Rijksherb.: 2
Blume 1861: Sum.: 203, 520
Blume 1965 – In: Backer & BAKH.f. Fl. Java: 145
Miq. 1859 – In: Fl. Ind. Bat.: 617
Hook.f. 1876 – In: Fl. Brit. India: 6
Miq. 1859 – In: Fl. Ind. Bat.: 617