Common Name:

General Information

Derris robusta is a deciduous tree growing up to 25 metres tall, with bole that is normally up to 30 cm in diameter but with some specimens up to 65cm[, ].
The tree is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use of its wood. It is sometimes grown as a shade tree in plantations[].

Known Hazards

The plant contains rotenone and has been used traditionally as a fish poison - the rotenone kills or stuns the fish making them easy to catch, but the fish remain perfectly edible for mammals. Rotenone is classified by the World Health Organization as moderately hazardous. It is mildly toxic to humans and other mammals, but extremely toxic to many insects (hence its use as an insecticide) and aquatic life, including fish. This higher toxicity in fish and insects is because the lipophilic rotenone is easily taken up through the gills or trachea, but not as easily through the skin or the gastrointestinal tract. The lowest lethal dose for a child is 143 mg/kg, but human deaths from rotenone poisoning are rare because its irritating action causes vomiting. Deliberate ingestion of rotenone, however, can be fatal.
The compound decomposes when exposed to sunlight and usually has an activity of six days in the environment.

Botanical References

,

Range

E. Asia - China, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia.

Habitat

Deciduous forest, especially teak forest[]. Mountain slopes; at elevations from 300 - 1,600 metres[]. Disturbed, degraded, fire-prone areas, deciduous forest with much bamboo and dry, evergreen forest[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	20.00 m
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the lowland tropics, found at elevations up to 750 metres[]. It is found in areas where the mean annual rainfall is within the range 700 - 3.000mm and the temperatures range from 18 - 29°c[]. It grows best in areas with a well-distributed rainfall pattern[].
Succeeds in shallow and infertile soils[]. All species in this genus tolerate a wide range of soil conditions, from fertile loams to barren areas, though a well-drained soil is preferrable[].
Although it is chemically well investigated, no medicinal, insecticidal or piscicidal uses are known[].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria; these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

Occasionally used as a shade tree in tea plantations, and as a green manure[, ].

Other Uses

The plant contains rotenone, which is widely used as an insecticide, though concenrations in this species are likely to be too low for commercial exploitation[, ]. Rotenone is effective against a range of horticultural pests, such as aphids and caterpillars, and also against external body parasites like ticks, lice, fleas and flies. It is reported to be ineffective against bedbugs, cockroaches, scale insects and red spiders.[, ].

The wood is pale brown, with the heartwood not distinctly demarcated from the sapwood. It is hard and heavy. The wood is used in small constructions, in turnery and for making tea chests, handles of axes etc[, ].

Propagation

Seed -

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