Common Name:

General Information

Homalium tomentosum is a deciduous tree with horizontal branches; it usually grows from 20 - 30 metres tall, but is sometimes as small as 5 metres or up to 40 metres. The well-shaped, cylindrical bole is up to 90 cm in diameter with buttresses up to 1 metre high and 20cm wide[, ]. It can be free of branches for up to 20 metres[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for mainly local use of its wood and as a medicine. It has been recommended for use in reforestation projects[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - northeastern India, Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia.

Habitat

Locally common, but not gregarious, in mixed deciduous forest, sometimes with bamboo, and in teak forest; often found on periodically dry ground; usually at elevations up to 200 metres[, ].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	25.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Found at low elevations, rarely to 700 metres, in tropical areas, especially where the dry monsoon is well pronounced[].
The plant is not seldom found on calcareous soil[]. Seedlings can tolerate moderate shade[]. The plant can tolerate periods when the soil is inundated[].
The mean heights of trees in a plantation after 2 and 5 years are 3 metres and 5 metres, respectively, with a mean diameter of 7cm at the age of 5 years[].
Initial growth and canopy closure of H. Tomentosum is slow.
This species is resistant to fire, sprouting readinly from dead stumps[, ].
It is reported to coppice well[].
Production of H. Tomentosum is rather low, especially on poor sites[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The roots are astringent[].

The pharmacological potential of this plant is unknown. Note that cochinchiside A and tremulacin, obtained from Homalium, showed some level of activity against HSV-1 and HSV-2, while tremulacin is active against HIV-1.3[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant might be useful for reforestation projects[, ].

Other Uses

The rather light, yellow-brown wood is hard and heavy. It has a close, compact grain. Durable according to one report[], whilst another says that it is not durable[]. The wood is of high quality, though great difficulties have been experienced in handling it without undue splitting, and the wide boards appear also to be liable to split in seasoning, after sawing. There is little doubt, if these difficulties could be overcome, that the timber would eventually prove to be of great value. The wood is used as malas and for the manufacture of matches. It is suitable for making a wide range of articles, including fishing rods[, , ].

Propagation

Seeds are reported to have a very low germination capacity of less than 5%[]. Germination starts 3 - 6 weeks after sowing[]. Direct sowing in the field is fairly successful for this species[].
Natural regeneration is abundant and seedlings can tolerate moderate shade[].

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