Litsea cordata
(Jack) Hook.f.
Lauraceae
Litsea cordifolia (Meisn.) Fern.-Vill.
Malapoenna cordata (Jack) Kuntze
Tetranthera cordata Jack
Tetranthera cordifolia Meisn.
Common Name:
General Information
Litsea cordata is an evergreen shrub or a tree that can grow around 3 - 36 metres tall. The bole can be 45 - 60cm in diameter with short buttresses, whilst in swampy areas it develops stilt roots and pneumatophores[
951- Title
- The Gardens' Bulletin, Singapore. Vol. 47 Part 1.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Publisher
- Singapore Botanic Gardens; Singapore.
- Year
- 1995
- ISBN
- 0374-7859
- Description
- The botanical publication of Singapore Botanic Gardens, with a range of articles. This edition includes an annotated check list of the vascular plants of Peninsular Malaysia.
,
2011- Title
- A revision of Litsea (Lauraceae) in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore
- Publication
- Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore 73(1): 81-178. 2021
- Author
- Kok R.P.J. de
- Website
- http://10.26492/gbs73(1).2021-07
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2021
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A very detailed treatment of the species
].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its wood, which is used locally and is also traded as 'medang' timber[
895- Title
- Timber Notes - Light Hardwoods II
- Publication
- Timber Technology Bulletin No. 10
- Author
- Gan K.S.; Lim S.C.; Choo K.T.
- Publisher
- Forest Research Institute; Malaysia
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 139-258
- Description
- Part of an excellent series of publications, this one giving a brief guide to five lesser known groups of light hardwoods from southeast Asia. It is available in PDF format on the Internet.
].
Litsea cordata has a very wide range and is known from many protected areas. Although there is a decline in the area of occupancy and extent of occurrence, as well as a loss of quality of habitat, these threats are more on a local leve, whilst on a global level the species is not considered to be threatened. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
931- Title
- Thai Forest Bulletin (Botany) No. 39
- Publication
-
- Author
- Thawatchai Santisuk (Editor)
- Publisher
- The Forest Herbarium (BKF); Chatuchak, Bangkok.
- Year
- 2011
- ISBN
- 0495-3843
- Description
- A botanical journal, publishing papers on taxonomy (especially vascular plants), nomenclature, phylogeny, systematics, plant geography, and floristics; also morphology, palynology, cytotaxonomy, chemotaxonomy, anatomy and other relevant disciplines.
,
2011- Title
- A revision of Litsea (Lauraceae) in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore
- Publication
- Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore 73(1): 81-178. 2021
- Author
- Kok R.P.J. de
- Website
- http://10.26492/gbs73(1).2021-07
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2021
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A very detailed treatment of the species
Range
Southeast Asia - Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines.
Habitat
Lowland and hill forest[
951- Title
- The Gardens' Bulletin, Singapore. Vol. 47 Part 1.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Publisher
- Singapore Botanic Gardens; Singapore.
- Year
- 1995
- ISBN
- 0374-7859
- Description
- The botanical publication of Singapore Botanic Gardens, with a range of articles. This edition includes an annotated check list of the vascular plants of Peninsular Malaysia.
]. Peat swamp forest at around sea level in Thailand[
931- Title
- Thai Forest Bulletin (Botany) No. 39
- Publication
-
- Author
- Thawatchai Santisuk (Editor)
- Publisher
- The Forest Herbarium (BKF); Chatuchak, Bangkok.
- Year
- 2011
- ISBN
- 0495-3843
- Description
- A botanical journal, publishing papers on taxonomy (especially vascular plants), nomenclature, phylogeny, systematics, plant geography, and floristics; also morphology, palynology, cytotaxonomy, chemotaxonomy, anatomy and other relevant disciplines.
]. Forests and in open vegetation, sometimes along rivers and in (peat) swamp forests; at elevations up to 200 metres[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].
Properties
| Conservation Status | Least Concern |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 25.00 m |
| Pollinators | Insects |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required[
2011- Title
- A revision of Litsea (Lauraceae) in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore
- Publication
- Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore 73(1): 81-178. 2021
- Author
- Kok R.P.J. de
- Website
- http://10.26492/gbs73(1).2021-07
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2021
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A very detailed treatment of the species
].
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
There are a number of tree species (including this one) from Peninsular Malaysia that are in the family Lauraceae and produce a useful timber that is either not distinct enough in itself, or is in insufficient supply, to warrant being traded individually. These various species have been lumped together under the trade name ‘medang’[
895- Title
- Timber Notes - Light Hardwoods II
- Publication
- Timber Technology Bulletin No. 10
- Author
- Gan K.S.; Lim S.C.; Choo K.T.
- Publisher
- Forest Research Institute; Malaysia
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 139-258
- Description
- Part of an excellent series of publications, this one giving a brief guide to five lesser known groups of light hardwoods from southeast Asia. It is available in PDF format on the Internet.
].
We do not have a specific description of the wood from this species, but a general description of medang timber is as follows:-
The heartwood is very variable, from light-straw to red-brown and olive brown; the sapwood is ill-defined. The texture is moderately fine but even; the grain interlocked or wavy; the surface dull. The wood is not durable. It is easy to slightly difficult to resaw, and easy to moderately easy to cross-cut; easy to plane and the surface produced is smooth to moderately smooth. It is suitable for decorative work such as interior finishing, panelling, furniture and cabinet making. It is also suitable for plywood manufacture, whilst the heavier species are suitable for medium construction under cover[
895- Title
- Timber Notes - Light Hardwoods II
- Publication
- Timber Technology Bulletin No. 10
- Author
- Gan K.S.; Lim S.C.; Choo K.T.
- Publisher
- Forest Research Institute; Malaysia
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 139-258
- Description
- Part of an excellent series of publications, this one giving a brief guide to five lesser known groups of light hardwoods from southeast Asia. It is available in PDF format on the Internet.
]
Propagation
Seed -
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
