Common Name:

General Information

Hymenodictyon orixense is a small to medium-sized tree with a rounded crown; it can grow up to 25 metres tall. The bole is straight and cylindrical[, ].
The plant is gathered from the wild for local use as a medicine[]. The wood is probably used rarely and on a local scale only, due to its comparative rareness and patchy occurrence[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - Indian subcontinent, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam.

Habitat

Secondary forest at low and medium altitudes and on cliffs near the sea[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	25.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the moist lowland tropics. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 22 - 33°c, but can tolerate 5 - 47°c[]. It can be killed by temperatures of -1°c or lower[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,200 - 2,000mm, but tolerates 875 - 2,300mm[].
Requires a sunny position[]. Prefers a fertile, well-drained, light soil[]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 6.5, tolerating 5 - 7[].
The tree is not resistant to fire[].
Regeneration is usually confined to open spaces in the forest, which may explain why the tree is more frequent in (but not restricted to) drier areas where the forest is more open than in the rain forest[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The bitter bark is used in local medicine as an antiperiodic, astringent and febrifuge[, ].
It contains scopoletin and a very bitter glycoside[].

Other Uses

The heartwood is white when fresh, becoming yellow-grey or pale grey-brown on exposure, not clearly demarcated from the sapwood; grain straight; texture moderately fine to slightly coarse and even[]. The wood is soft to moderately hard and moderately strong. It works very easily and turns well. The wood is not durable when exposed to the weather or in contact with the ground and is moderately resistant to preservative treatment. It is somewhat liable to borers, especially when left debarked[].
The wood is used locally in house building, e.g. for planks, and sometimes for boats; it is also used for boxes, scabbards, packing-cases, implements, toys and matches[]. In India it has been recommended for cheaper grades of furniture, warper bobbins and wood-wool board[].

Propagation

Seed - direct seeding is not recommended as the seed is very small (about 170 000 seeds/kg) and easily washed away[]. The seed usually germinates easily, but loses its viability within a year[]. It should be sown in seed-beds and lightly covered with fine soil or fine sand and watered frequently, but sparingly[]. The first seedlings appear after 10 days, when 2 - 3 months old they can be pricked out into containers[]. The more vigorous seedlings can be planted out after one year, others should be kept in the nursery for another year[]. Seedlings are light-demanding and easily killed by weeds[].

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