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Useful Tropical Plants

Aglaia odorata

Lour.

Meliaceae

+ Synonyms

Aglaia chaudocensis Pierre

Aglaia duperreana Pierre

Aglaia oblanceolata Craib

Aglaia pentaphylla Kurz

Aglaia repoeuensis Pierre

Aglaia sinensis Pierre

Camunium chinense Roxb.

Opilia odorata (Lour.) Spreng.

Common Name:

Aglaia odorata
Young plant growing in the Kunming Botanical Garden, Kunming, Yunnan, China
Photograph by: Daderot
Public domain
Aglaia odorata Aglaia odorata Aglaia odorata Aglaia odorata Aglaia odorata

General Information

Aglaia odorata is a slow-growing, much branche, evergreend shrub or small tree growing up to 10 metres tall[
451
Title
Flora Malesiana Series 1
Publication
 
Author
Various
Website
http://www.archive.org
Publisher
Nationaal Herbarium Nederiand, Universiteit Leiden branch
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A massive treatment of the plants of the Malaysian Archipelago. Much of it has been made available to download from the Internet
]. The bole can be 15cm in diameter[
653
Title
Plants of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.asianplant.net/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Excellent site with brief information on the plant, its range, habitat and uses, plus phots of specimens, close-ops of flowers and leaves etc,
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of wood and essential oil. It is often grown as a hedge, and is cultivated in gardens of southeast Asia as an ornamental and for the very fragrant flowers which are used to flavour tea, to scent clothes etc; the flowers are commonly found for sale in local markets[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
317
Title
Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
].
Although often cultivated, the species' status in the wild remains unclear. It has been classified as 'Near Threatened' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2011)[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
,
930
Title
A Taxonomic Monograph of the Genus Aglaia Lour. (Meliaceae)
Publication
Kew Bulletin Additional Series XVI
Author
Pannell C.M.
Publisher
HMSO; London
Year
1992
ISBN
0-11-250067-6
Description
A comprehensive treatment of the genus Aglaia, including the genus Amoora. Very good plant descriptions, it also gives some plant uses, details of habitat, range etc.

Range

E. Asia - southern China, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam.

Habitat

An understorey shrub in sparse forests or thickets in mountainous regions at low elevations in southern China[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
]. Evergreen forests; more open, secondary formations; along the coast; often in clay soils; at elevations to 700 metres[
930
Title
A Taxonomic Monograph of the Genus Aglaia Lour. (Meliaceae)
Publication
Kew Bulletin Additional Series XVI
Author
Pannell C.M.
Publisher
HMSO; London
Year
1992
ISBN
0-11-250067-6
Description
A comprehensive treatment of the genus Aglaia, including the genus Amoora. Very good plant descriptions, it also gives some plant uses, details of habitat, range etc.
].

Properties

Conservation StatusNear Threatened
Edibility Rating *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *  *
HabitEvergreen Shrub
Height8.00 m
Growth RateSlow
PollinatorsInsects
Self-fertileNo
Cultivation StatusCultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details


Often found growing on clay soils in the wild[
930
Title
A Taxonomic Monograph of the Genus Aglaia Lour. (Meliaceae)
Publication
Kew Bulletin Additional Series XVI
Author
Pannell C.M.
Publisher
HMSO; London
Year
1992
ISBN
0-11-250067-6
Description
A comprehensive treatment of the genus Aglaia, including the genus Amoora. Very good plant descriptions, it also gives some plant uses, details of habitat, range etc.
].
The plant produces fragrant flowers for much of the year[
930
Title
A Taxonomic Monograph of the Genus Aglaia Lour. (Meliaceae)
Publication
Kew Bulletin Additional Series XVI
Author
Pannell C.M.
Publisher
HMSO; London
Year
1992
ISBN
0-11-250067-6
Description
A comprehensive treatment of the genus Aglaia, including the genus Amoora. Very good plant descriptions, it also gives some plant uses, details of habitat, range etc.
]. The fragrance is most intense in the evening[
360
Title
Philippine Medicinal Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.stuartxchange.org/CompleteList.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A lovely site, giving brief details on the medicinal uses of several hundred (over 400 at the last count) plants in the Philippines, plus a picture of each plant.
].
The female form is rare in cultivation because the flowers are not as aromatic as the male plant[
930
Title
A Taxonomic Monograph of the Genus Aglaia Lour. (Meliaceae)
Publication
Kew Bulletin Additional Series XVI
Author
Pannell C.M.
Publisher
HMSO; London
Year
1992
ISBN
0-11-250067-6
Description
A comprehensive treatment of the genus Aglaia, including the genus Amoora. Very good plant descriptions, it also gives some plant uses, details of habitat, range etc.
].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if seed is required.

Edible Uses

The flowers are dried and used for scenting tea[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
360
Title
Philippine Medicinal Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.stuartxchange.org/CompleteList.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A lovely site, giving brief details on the medicinal uses of several hundred (over 400 at the last count) plants in the Philippines, plus a picture of each plant.
,
931
Title
Thai Forest Bulletin (Botany) No. 39
Publication
 
Author
Thawatchai Santisuk (Editor)
Publisher
The Forest Herbarium (BKF); Chatuchak, Bangkok.
Year
2011
ISBN
0495-3843
Description
A botanical journal, publishing papers on taxonomy (especially vascular plants), nomenclature, phylogeny, systematics, plant geography, and floristics; also morphology, palynology, cytotaxonomy, chemotaxonomy, anatomy and other relevant disciplines.
]. The flowers are exquisitely scented, somewhat like vanilla but with spicy undertones[
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
].

Tender young leaves - cooked and eaten as a vegetable[
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
].

Medicinal

The roots and the leaves are considered anticonculsive, aromatic, febrifuge, pectoral, stimulant and tonic[
238
Title
Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses.
Publication
 
Author
Bown. D.
Publisher
Dorling Kindersley, London.
Year
1995
ISBN
0-7513-020-31
Description
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
,
360
Title
Philippine Medicinal Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.stuartxchange.org/CompleteList.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A lovely site, giving brief details on the medicinal uses of several hundred (over 400 at the last count) plants in the Philippines, plus a picture of each plant.
]. A water infusion of the roots and leaves has been used as heart stimulant and febrifuge[
317
Title
Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
].

An infusion of the flowers is given as a cooling drink for treating eruptive fevers[
360
Title
Philippine Medicinal Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.stuartxchange.org/CompleteList.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A lovely site, giving brief details on the medicinal uses of several hundred (over 400 at the last count) plants in the Philippines, plus a picture of each plant.
].

An infusion of the leaves is taken as a tonic for treating excessive menses and venereal diseases.[
360
Title
Philippine Medicinal Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.stuartxchange.org/CompleteList.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A lovely site, giving brief details on the medicinal uses of several hundred (over 400 at the last count) plants in the Philippines, plus a picture of each plant.
].

The genus 'Aglaia' is the only source of the group of about 50 known representatives of compounds that bear a unique cyclopenta[b]tetrahydrobenzofuran skeleton. These compounds are more commonly called rocaglate or rocaglamide derivatives, or flavaglines, and most have been found to have potent insecticidal properties, antifungal, antiviral, antibacterial or anthelmintic bioactivity. Several of them exhibit pronounced cytotoxic activity against a range of human cancers. Since the first representative in this group was only discovered in 1982, this is one of the few recent examples of a completely new class of plant secondary metabolites of biological promise (see B. G. Wang et al., Biochem. Syst. Ecol. 32: 1223-1226. 2004; L.W. Chaidir et al., J. Nat. Prod. 64: 1216-1220. 2001)[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
,
899
Title
Tree Flora of Sabah and Sarawak Vols 1 - 6
Publication
 
Author
Soepadmo E.; Saw L.G.; Chung R.C.K. (Editors)
Publisher
Forest Research Institute Malaysia; Kuala Lumpur.
Year
2002
ISBN
983-2181-27-5
Description
A flora of the woody plants of Sabah and Sarawak on the island of Borneo, often giving details of plant uses.
].

Agroforestry Uses:

A good, if slow growing, hedge plant[
451
Title
Flora Malesiana Series 1
Publication
 
Author
Various
Website
http://www.archive.org
Publisher
Nationaal Herbarium Nederiand, Universiteit Leiden branch
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A massive treatment of the plants of the Malaysian Archipelago. Much of it has been made available to download from the Internet
]. When trimmed regularly, the plant forms a dense, neat hedge[
930
Title
A Taxonomic Monograph of the Genus Aglaia Lour. (Meliaceae)
Publication
Kew Bulletin Additional Series XVI
Author
Pannell C.M.
Publisher
HMSO; London
Year
1992
ISBN
0-11-250067-6
Description
A comprehensive treatment of the genus Aglaia, including the genus Amoora. Very good plant descriptions, it also gives some plant uses, details of habitat, range etc.
]. Very amenable to trimming, it is used for topiary in Asia[
451
Title
Flora Malesiana Series 1
Publication
 
Author
Various
Website
http://www.archive.org
Publisher
Nationaal Herbarium Nederiand, Universiteit Leiden branch
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A massive treatment of the plants of the Malaysian Archipelago. Much of it has been made available to download from the Internet
].

Other Uses

The genus 'Aglaia' is the only source of the group of about 50 known representatives of compounds that bear a unique cyclopenta[b]tetrahydrobenzofuran skeleton. These compounds are more commonly called rocaglate or rocaglamide derivatives, or flavaglines, and most have been found to have potent insecticidal properties, antifungal, antiviral, antibacterial or anthelmintic bioactivity. Several of them exhibit pronounced cytotoxic activity against a range of human cancers. Since the first representative in this group was only discovered in 1982, this is one of the few recent examples of a completely new class of plant secondary metabolites of biological promise (see B. G. Wang et al., Biochem. Syst. Ecol. 32: 1223-1226. 2004; L.W. Chaidir et al., J. Nat. Prod. 64: 1216-1220. 2001)[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
,
899
Title
Tree Flora of Sabah and Sarawak Vols 1 - 6
Publication
 
Author
Soepadmo E.; Saw L.G.; Chung R.C.K. (Editors)
Publisher
Forest Research Institute Malaysia; Kuala Lumpur.
Year
2002
ISBN
983-2181-27-5
Description
A flora of the woody plants of Sabah and Sarawak on the island of Borneo, often giving details of plant uses.
].

The flowers are used to scent clothes, are added to potpourris and also used in making joss sticks[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
238
Title
Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses.
Publication
 
Author
Bown. D.
Publisher
Dorling Kindersley, London.
Year
1995
ISBN
0-7513-020-31
Description
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
,
360
Title
Philippine Medicinal Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.stuartxchange.org/CompleteList.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A lovely site, giving brief details on the medicinal uses of several hundred (over 400 at the last count) plants in the Philippines, plus a picture of each plant.
,
930
Title
A Taxonomic Monograph of the Genus Aglaia Lour. (Meliaceae)
Publication
Kew Bulletin Additional Series XVI
Author
Pannell C.M.
Publisher
HMSO; London
Year
1992
ISBN
0-11-250067-6
Description
A comprehensive treatment of the genus Aglaia, including the genus Amoora. Very good plant descriptions, it also gives some plant uses, details of habitat, range etc.
]. The dried flowers retain their perfume almost indefinitely[
238
Title
Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses.
Publication
 
Author
Bown. D.
Publisher
Dorling Kindersley, London.
Year
1995
ISBN
0-7513-020-31
Description
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
].

Flower pellets show potential as an organic herbicide for the control of barnyard grass weed[
360
Title
Philippine Medicinal Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.stuartxchange.org/CompleteList.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A lovely site, giving brief details on the medicinal uses of several hundred (over 400 at the last count) plants in the Philippines, plus a picture of each plant.
].
Organic extracts of the twigs and leaves yielded eight insecticidal cyclopentatetrahydrobenzofuran rocaglamide derivatives. The isolated rocaglamide derivatives exhibited strong insecticidal activity towards neonate larvae of the polyphagous pest insect Spodophera littoralis when incorporated into artificial diet[
360
Title
Philippine Medicinal Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.stuartxchange.org/CompleteList.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A lovely site, giving brief details on the medicinal uses of several hundred (over 400 at the last count) plants in the Philippines, plus a picture of each plant.
].

The wood is particularly good for turnery[
884
Title
The World List of Threatened Trees
Publication
 
Author
Oldfield S.; Lusty C.; and MacKinven A.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
World Conservation Press; Cambridge UK
Year
1998
ISBN
1-899628-10 X
Description
A list of the trees on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Plant Species in 1998, often giving some information on habitat and the reasons for being on the list. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cuttings[
930
Title
A Taxonomic Monograph of the Genus Aglaia Lour. (Meliaceae)
Publication
Kew Bulletin Additional Series XVI
Author
Pannell C.M.
Publisher
HMSO; London
Year
1992
ISBN
0-11-250067-6
Description
A comprehensive treatment of the genus Aglaia, including the genus Amoora. Very good plant descriptions, it also gives some plant uses, details of habitat, range etc.
].
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-29. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Aglaia%20odorata>

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