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Useful Tropical Plants

Aglaia smithii

Koord.

Meliaceae

+ Synonyms

Aglaia badia Merr.

Aglaia bicolor Merr.

Aglaia ramosii Quisumb.

Common Name:

No Image.

General Information

Aglaia smithii is a tree that can grow up to 10 metres tall[
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 bole can be up to 50cm in diameter[
721
Title
Commercial Woods of the Philippines; Their Preparation and Uses
Publication
Philippines Bureau of Forestry Bulletin No. 14
Author
Schneider E.E.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Bureau of Forestry; Manilla.
Year
1916
ISBN
 
Description
A series of booklets dealing with various aspects of the Philippine forests. This volume looks at the preparation and uses of the commercial woods of the Philippines. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use of its wood.
Habitat destruction poses a threat to the species. The plant is classified as 'Vulnerable' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[
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

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

Southeast Asia - Philippines to New Guinea.

Habitat

Primary and coastal forests, often on clays; at elevations up to 40 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 StatusVulnerable
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitTree
Height8.00 m
PollinatorsInsects
Self-fertileNo
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details



A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required[
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.
].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

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.
].

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 dark red wood is heavy and hard. The odour of this species is not very strong. It used for poles and for temporary constructions[
721
Title
Commercial Woods of the Philippines; Their Preparation and Uses
Publication
Philippines Bureau of Forestry Bulletin No. 14
Author
Schneider E.E.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Bureau of Forestry; Manilla.
Year
1916
ISBN
 
Description
A series of booklets dealing with various aspects of the Philippine forests. This volume looks at the preparation and uses of the commercial woods of the Philippines. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
,
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.
,
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.
].
We do not have any more specific information on the wood of this species, but the general description of wood from trees in this genus is as follows:-
The heartwood is pale red to deep coppery red; it is clearly but not sharply distinguished from the pinkish or pale red sapwood. The texture is fine and dense; the grain often distinctly crossed and generally wavy, forming a regular diagonal wavy ribbon on radial sections; on tangential sections, an irregular, curly figure, marked with characteristic fine zigzag lines; most species have a distinct, even pungent, aromatic odour resembling both cedar and camphor. The wood is hard to very hard; heavy to very heavy; durable, the heartwood rarely if ever being attacked by termites, nor even the sapwood by beetles. It seasons well. It can be rather difficult to work, the curly and wavy grain requiring a very sharp and fine-set plane to surface it well; it can, however, take a very smooth surface under sharp tools. An attractive, strong and durable wood, individual species rarely come into the market, except in occasional very small lots. They are often well known locally for their strength and durability, being favourites for house posts, beams, window sills, windows, agricultural implements, etc. When available in sufficient size, the wood is suitable for a wide range of uses, including posts; ties; bridge and wharf building; beams, joists, rafters; flooring; sheathing and ceiling; fine furniture and cabinetwork[
721
Title
Commercial Woods of the Philippines; Their Preparation and Uses
Publication
Philippines Bureau of Forestry Bulletin No. 14
Author
Schneider E.E.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Bureau of Forestry; Manilla.
Year
1916
ISBN
 
Description
A series of booklets dealing with various aspects of the Philippine forests. This volume looks at the preparation and uses of the commercial woods of the Philippines. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-29. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Aglaia+smithii>

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