Common Name: Marer

General Information

Cordia subcordata is an evergreen shrub or small tree with a dense, wide crown; it can grow 4 - 15 metres tall. The unbuttressed bole is often crooked, it can be free of branches for up to 8 metres and up to 60cm in diameter[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use, mainly for its timber, but also for fibre, dyestuff and edible uses. The wood is highly valued in New Guinea and the Pacific Islands, where it is occasionally cultivated for its timbe,r and the plant is also sometimes planted as an ornamental in gardens, where it is especially suitable for courts[, ].
Although it has a very wide range, the plant is confined to coastal areas. In the Papuasian region, a major concern has been the heavy exploitation of the species for native carvings and artefacts for the tourist trade, resulting in the rapid disappearance of many mature trees[]. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2019)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

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Range

East Africa to India, southern China, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, New Guinea, Australia, Pacific Islands.

Habitat

Coral beaches in east Africa[]. Sandy, open woodland in southern China[]. Fairly common in secondary forest and thickets along the sea shore[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	10.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the tropical coasts, it grows best in areas where the annual precipitation is around 1,250mm[].
Prefers a moist, but well-drained soil and a position in full sun[]. It is suited for planting on sandy soils and can grow well in subhumid climates[]. Plants are reasonably tolerant of saline soils and also of some exposure to salt spray, though heavy salt spray can severely damage leaves[]. Young plants are not very shade tolerant but can develop reasonably well under light conditions above 30% relative light intensity[]. Established plants are moderately drought resistant[].
Trees grow fast on moderately fertile and well-drained sites. It has been reported from Buru (Indonesia) that young plants of C. subcordata can reach a height of 1.1 - 1.5 metres 10 months after planting on good sites. In East Java trees were 4 - 5 metres tall in a 2-year-old plantation and on average 7 metres tall after 4 years with an average diameter of 6.5cm[].
Plants can flower and fruit all year round[].
Plants of 3 years old may already produce fruits. The fruits of this species are probably dispersed by ocean currents; they have a hard stone and corky tissue[].
Plants have a shallow root system and can be damaged by too much surface disturbance[].

Edible Uses

In Polynesia, young leaves are sometimes chewed together with betel nut[, ].

The fruit is eaten in some parts of its range[]. The ovoid fruit is about 25mm long[].
Although we have seen no further specific information for this species, the fruits of most Cordia species are comprised of a thin to fairly thick layer of pulpy, sweetish-tasting flesh surrounding a single seed and are more or less edible[, ], (though some are known to cause gastric disturbances).

Seed[]. Tasteless, it is more likely to be eaten in times of food shortage, though hungry children sometimes gather and eat them[].

Medicinal

The plant has medicinal uses[]. No further information[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The tre is planted as a windbreak and living fence, and also for coastal protection[]

Other Uses

A brown dye is obtained from the bark[].
A warm brown to red dye is obtained from older leaves. It is used to dye kapa[].

A fibre obtained from the bark is used for making clothes, hats, baskets etc[].

The wood is reported to burn fast and can easily be ignited by rubbing two pieces of wood together[].

The heartwood is pale brown to dark brown, often with a purplish tinge and dark brown to nearly black streaks; it is distinctly demarcated from the pale yellowish brown sapwood. The grain is usually interlocked; texture moderately fine; the wood rather glossy[]. The wood is moderately lightweight, though wood from Polynesia is said to be heavier; soft but durable and very resistant to termites[, , ]. It is easy to saw and can be worked well with both hand and machine tools; it takes a good finish with nice lustre when a filler is used[]. It is used for light construction, beams and posts, wharves, cabinets, furniture, musical instruments, scabbards, tools, carvings, and fancy articles; also for veneer[, ]. Traditionally used to make plates, cups, bowls etc because the wood does not impart any flavour to the food[].
The wood is used for fuel in the Solomon Islands[].

Propagation

Seed - seeds are reported to take 19 - 62 days to germinate, with about 25% of the seeds being viable[]. However, data from Indonesia show that viability may be as high as 90-100%, but seed collected from the ground showed 40-50% germination[]. The germination process can be sped up if the seed is first scarified by lightly abrading the seedcoat to allow easier ingress of water[]. Storage under ambient conditions reduces the viability from 60% initially to 40% after 7 months[]. It is recommended to sow the seeds 1.5-2 cm deep, pointing downwards[]. Seedlings should be watered sparingly[].

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