Common Name:

General Information

Aglaia edulis is an evergreen, mid-canopy tree that can grow up to 33 metres tall. It has a short bole up to 50cm in diameter, with buttresses up to 150cm tall, 50cm outwards and 15cm thick[, , ].
The plant is sometimes gathered from the wild for its edible fruit, medicinal uses and timber, which are all used locally.
The tree is threatened by habitat loss. It is classified as 'Near Threatened' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2011)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

E. Asia - China, Indian subcontinent, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam.

Habitat

A mid-canopy tree in evergreen and primary forests; more open, secondary formations; along rocky sea shores; on coral; mostly on hillsides and ridges, growing on sandy loams with clay, sandstone and coral; at elevations up to 1,670 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Near Threatened
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	20.00 m
Pollinators	Insects
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Trees can commence flowering when about 4 metres tall[].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required.

Edible Uses

The fruits are edible[, ]. A slightly acid flavour[]. The fleshy covering (aril) around the seed is eaten[]. The fruit is up to 32mm long and 38mm in diameter, containing 1 - 3 seeds[].

Medicinal

The pericarp has medicinal properties[]. It is used in the treatment of diarrhoea[, ].

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)[, ].

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)[, ].

The sapwood is pale brown, red or yellow[]. The wood is a hard and heavy with a light aroma of cedar. It is used locally for light construction work. The wood is used for boat, house and bridge building, furniture and agricultural implements, but supplies are limited[, , , , ].
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[].

Propagation

Seed -

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