Common Name: Rasamala

General Information

Rasamala is an evergreen tree that can grow up to 50 metres tall in the warmer parts of its range (such as Indonesia) but is only about 20 metres tall in other areas such as China[]. Young trees are very elegant with a dense crown and pyramidal shape, the crown later becoming more rounded[]. Trees tend to form multiple stems if growing in an open position[].
The tree is often exploited from the wild for its timber[]. It also has a range of local medicinal applications, provides an incense and has edible shoots.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - southwestern China, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, through Malaysia to Indonesia.

Habitat

A dominant species in tropical montane evergreen broadleaved forests at elevations around 1,000 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	25.00 m
Pollinators	Wind?
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the moist tropics, where it is found at elevations from 500 - 1,700 metres[, ]. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 20 - 32°c, but can tolerate 10 - 40°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 2,000 - 3,000mm, but tolerates 1,200 - 4,000mm[].
Grows best in a sunny or lightly shaded position[]. Succeeds in most fertile, well-drained soils, preferably of a medium to heavy texture[]. Prefers a pH in the range 5 - 6, tolerating 4.5 - 6.5[].
In the warmer, moist tropics, the plant can flower and fruit all year round[, ].
The seeds are sweetly scented and are dispersed by ants and, to a lesser extent, by monkeys and birds that feed on the seeds[].

Edible Uses

The young reddish-brown tips of the branches are eaten raw or cooked as a vegetable[, ].

Medicinal

The resin contained in the stems is anodyne, antiphlogistic, antiscorbutic, antiseptic, carminative, expectorant, stimulant and stomachic[]. It is used in the treatment of affections of the throat; skin diseases such as scabies and leucoderma; it is smeared over the abdomen of children to relieve the pains of colic; it is applied to inflamed testicles to treat orchiditis; and is useful in the early stages of hydrocele[].

The leaves are used to cure cough[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree is often interplanted with Leucaena leucocephala in young plantations to suppress weeds and to reduce formation of multiple stems[].

Other Uses

A yellow, scented resin is obtained from the stems[]. It is obtained from the wounded bark[]. A fragrant, honey-like balsam[]. It is used as a perfume, incense and a medicine[, ].

The dried bark is a useful tinder[].

The red to blackish-brown wood is heavy and fine-grained[]. The wood is very durable and can be used in direct contact with the soil[]. Because of its long, branchless boles, it is favoured for frames of bridges, columns and beams for construction, power transmission poles, telephone poles and railway sleepers. It is also used for heavy construction, vehicle bodies, ship and boat building, heavy flooring, rafters, veneer, plywood and pulp[, ].

Propagation

Seed - it has a short period of viability and is best sown as soon as it is ripe. It is best soaked in cold water for 24 hours prior to sowing. The sowing medium is a mix of sand and soil (1 : 1). Germination starts about 10 days after sowing. One month old seedlings can be transplanted to plastic bags, preferably in a growing medium enriched with organic matter and fertilizer[].

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