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Useful Tropical Plants

Gmelina elliptica

Sm.

Lamiaceae

+ Synonyms

Gmelina asiatica inermis Moldenke

Gmelina asiatica villosa (Roxb.) Bakh.

Gmelina integrifolia W.Hunter

Gmelina tomentosa H.R.Fletcher

Gmelina tonkinensis Moldenke

Gmelina villosa Roxb.

Common Name:

Gmelina elliptica
Drawing of a flowering and fruiting stem
Photograph by: Blanco, M., Flora de Filipinas, t. 215 (1875)
Creative Commons License

General Information

Gmelina elliptica is a spiny, evergreen shrub or small tree, sometimes with straggling growth, that can grow up to 13 metres tall but is more likely to be from 1 - 5 metres tall. The bole can be up to 25cm in diameter[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
,
653
Title
Plants of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.asianplant.net/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Excellent site with brief information on the plant, its range, habitat and uses, plus phots of specimens, close-ops of flowers and leaves etc,
,
1007
Title
A revision of the genus Gmelina (Lamiaceae)
Publication
Kew Bulletin Vol. 67: 293 - 329
Author
de Kok, Rogier
Website
http://www.researchgate.net/publication/236278737
Publisher
 
Year
2012
ISBN
1874-933X
Description
A detailed revision, it also often gives plant uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local medicinal use. The plant is cultivated throughout the tropics as an ornamental.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

1007
Title
A revision of the genus Gmelina (Lamiaceae)
Publication
Kew Bulletin Vol. 67: 293 - 329
Author
de Kok, Rogier
Website
http://www.researchgate.net/publication/236278737
Publisher
 
Year
2012
ISBN
1874-933X
Description
A detailed revision, it also often gives plant uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.

Range

E. Asia - Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines.

Habitat

Open secondary vegetation, especially near the coast, along roads and in other open sites, sometimes forming dense thickets; in Java at elevations from sea-level up to 500 metres[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
,
653
Title
Plants of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.asianplant.net/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Excellent site with brief information on the plant, its range, habitat and uses, plus phots of specimens, close-ops of flowers and leaves etc,
].

Properties

Weed PotentialYes
Medicinal Rating *  *
HabitEvergreen Tree
Height5.00 m
Cultivation StatusOrnamental, Wild

Cultivation Details


Succeeds in full sun or partial shade, preferring a moist but well-drained soil[
974
Title
Encyclopedia of Tropical Plants - Identification and Cultivation of over 3,000 Tropical Plants
Publication
 
Author
Ahmed Fayaz
Publisher
Firefly Books Ltd.; New Zealand
Year
2011
ISBN
978-1-55407-489
Description
A good photograph and terse but detailed information for over 3,000 species of tropical plants. An excellent reference.
]. Found in the wild on sandy, sandy loam or sandy clay soils, often poor; sometimes also found over basalt or limestone[
1007
Title
A revision of the genus Gmelina (Lamiaceae)
Publication
Kew Bulletin Vol. 67: 293 - 329
Author
de Kok, Rogier
Website
http://www.researchgate.net/publication/236278737
Publisher
 
Year
2012
ISBN
1874-933X
Description
A detailed revision, it also often gives plant uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Although we have seen no reports of invasiveness, there is a report that this shrubby, thorny tree could be a problem if introduced to islands where it is not native[
305
Title
Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.hear.org/pier/scientificnames/index.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A very good website detailing weed species that have been introduced into the Pacific Islands.
].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The sap from the leaves or fruits is used as ear drops in earache[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

An infusion of the slightly crushed fruits is applied as an eye lotion[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
,
1007
Title
A revision of the genus Gmelina (Lamiaceae)
Publication
Kew Bulletin Vol. 67: 293 - 329
Author
de Kok, Rogier
Website
http://www.researchgate.net/publication/236278737
Publisher
 
Year
2012
ISBN
1874-933X
Description
A detailed revision, it also often gives plant uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. The fruit rubbed with lime and garlic is vigorously applied to the body in cases of dropsy[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

The leaves or roots may be applied to wounds. The uses probably reflect its activity as a rubefacient[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

In Peninsular Malaysia, the plant is chiefly used in poultices for headache and swellings[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Other Uses

The wood is hard[
1007
Title
A revision of the genus Gmelina (Lamiaceae)
Publication
Kew Bulletin Vol. 67: 293 - 329
Author
de Kok, Rogier
Website
http://www.researchgate.net/publication/236278737
Publisher
 
Year
2012
ISBN
1874-933X
Description
A detailed revision, it also often gives plant uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Propagation

Seed -
Air layering.
Cuttings.
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-29. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Gmelina+elliptica>

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