Common Name: Massoy Bark

General Information

Massoy bark is an evergreen tree that can grow from 15 - 30 metres tall. The straight, cylindrical bole can be free of buttresses for 8 - 15 metres, around 25 - 50cm in diameter, sometimes with buttresses up to 150cm high[].
A traditional medicine and food flavouring in parts of Indonesia and New Guinea. An essential oil obtained from the tree is exported for use in perfumery. The tree is also harvested on a commercial basis for its wood[].
The tree is becoming rarer in its wild habitats due to over-collecting and poor regeneration[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Southeast Asia - eastern Indonesia to Papua New Guinea.

Habitat

Forests.

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	23.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

The bark is used as a condiment[]. It has been used as a substitute for cinnamon[]. It has been ground into a powder and used in curries.

Medicinal

The bark is used as a lotion[]. It is an essential ingredient in some herbal medicines in Java, where it has many uses, including preventing cramps during pregnancy, being used to stimulate recovery and restore vitality after childbirth, for woman after childbirth, to improve odour, as a tonic, and antispasmodic[].

Other Uses

An essential oil is obtained from the bark.
An essential oil is obtained from the fruit. It is used in perfumery.

The ground bark is used as a dye fixative in Javanese batiks.

The wood is a good quality hardwood[].
Many Cryptocarya species that grow large enough are utilized for their timber, very often with several species being lumped together indiscriminately. Most species do not have very detailed individual descriptions of their timber - the following is a general description for the species[].
The heartwood is pinkish brown, grayish brown, reddish brown, or chocolate brown; it is not clearly differentiated from the somewhat lighter-coloured sapwood. The texture is rather fine to medium; the grain usually straight; lustre low; sometimes with an aromatic odour when freshly cut but without any distinctive odour or taste when dry. A silica content of up to 0:82% has been reported for some species. Some species are reported to be easy to season, whilst others have a tendency to warp and split. The wood is generally reported to be not difficult to work with hand and machine tools. Durability is variable with species; most species being not very durable when exposed to the elements. The sapwood is prone to powder-post beetle attack. The wood is often attractive and can be used for purposes such as cabinetwork, flooring, decorative veneers, panelling; whilst it is also often used for joinery, construction etc[].

Propagation

Seed -

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