กะทัง
(Litsea monopetala)
LAURACEAE
กะทัง(ภาคใต้),พอครา(นครศรีธรรมราช),โพหน่วย,มุหมู(กระเหรี่ยง กาญจนบุรี),เมาะโม(กระเหรี่ยง แม่ฮ่องสอน), ยุ๊กเย้า(แพร่),สะหมึ่(ชัยภูมิ),หมี(จันทบุรี),หมีตุ้ม,หมีโป้ง(เชียงใหม่),อีเหม็น(ภาคเหนือ)

Taxonomy

Current name: Litsea monopetala

Authority: (Roxb.) Persoon

Family: Lauraceae

Synonym(s)

Litsea polyantha A.L. Juss.

Tetranthera alnoides Miq.

Tetranthera monopetala Roxb.

Common names

(Burmese) : ondon laukya

(Indonesian) : huru manuk (Sundanese, Java)

(Malay) : bangang (Peninsular)

(Thai) : kathang (peninsular)

Botanic description

A small tree up to 18 m tall, bole straight to crooked, up to 60 cm in diameter, bark surface longitudinally fissured, dark greyish, inner bark brown mottled. Leaves alternate, 4.5-17 cm x 2.5-10 cm, blunt to acute, glabrous above, sparsely hairy below, midrib sunken above, with 6-13 pairs of secondary veins which are sunken above, tertiary venation scalariform, distinct below, petiole 1-2.5 cm long. Flowers in peduncled umbellules in short racemes, with (4-)6 tepals and 9-12 stamens. Fruit oblong to ellipsoid, 0.7-1.2 cm long, seated on a small flat perianth cup.

Ecology and distribution

Natural Habitat

L. monopetala is locally common in mixed lowland and montane evergreen or semi-deciduous forest.

India, Burma (Myanmar), throughout Indo-China, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia and Java.

Biophysical limits

Altitude: Up to 1500 m.

Reproductive Biology

The fruits of L. monopetala are thought to be dispersed by bats.

Propagation and management

Functional uses

Products

Fodder: The leaves are the principal food of the muga silkworm (Antheraea assama) in India and are used for fodder in Nepal. Medicine: The seeds contain an oil which is used medicinally in India. Timber: The wood is used as medang, e.g. for planks and tool handles.

Additional Information

Properties

Timber: The density of the wood is about 540 kg/m cubic at 15% moisture content.

Bibliography

Soerianegara, I., et al. 1995. Litsea Lamk. In Lemmens, R.H.M.J., Soerianegara, I. & Wong, W.C. (Eds.): Plant Resources of South-East Asia No 5(2). Timber trees: Minor commercial timbers. Prosea Foundation, Bogor, Indonesia. pp 306-323.

Last updated: 2012-09-29 13:16:50

 

กะทัง