Common Name:

General Information

Aglaia odoratissima is a tree with a diffuse, irregular crown; it usually grows up to 12 metres tall but exceptionally can reach to 25 metres. The bole can be free of branches for up to 5 metres and up to 25cm in diameter[, , ].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its aromatic flowers, fruits, essential oil and timber.
The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2011)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

E. Asia - Malaysia through Indo-China to the Philippines and Indonesia.

Habitat

A sub-canopy tree, common in primary, secondary and periodically inundated swamp forest, along roadsides and on various soil types, at elevations up to 1,900 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Shrub
Height	12.00 m
Pollinators	Insects
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Plants are tolerant of seasonal inundation of the soil[].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required.

Edible Uses

The fragrant flowers are used to flavour tea[].

Fruit - raw[]. A sweet flavour[]. The translucent, gelatinous fleshy coating (aril) surrounding the seed is eaten[]. The pinkish-orange, ellipsoid fruit is about 15 - 20mm long and 10 - 15mm wide, containing 1 or 2 seeds[].

Medicinal

Several parts of the tree are used medicinally[].

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 very fragrant flowers are used in perfumery[].

An essential oil is distilled from the seed[].

The sapwood is pale pink or pale yellowish-brown or dark red-brown[]. The wood is strong, hard and fairly durable but only available in small sizes[, ]. A decorative wood, it is used for making furniture[, ].

Propagation

Seed -

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