Common Name: Medang Keladi

General Information

Litsea machilifolia is an evergreen tree that can grow from 20 - 36 metres tall. The bole can be around 10 - 72cm in diameter[, , ].
The tree is harvested from the wild to make a perfume, and also for its wood, which is used locally and is also traded as 'medang' timber[].
Litsea machilifolia has a wide range and is known from many protected areas. Although on a local level there is a decline in the area of occupancy and extent of occurrence, as well as a loss of quality of habitat, this is not considered to be sufficient to be a threat on a global scale. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2020)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Southeast Asia - Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia.

Habitat

A mid-canopy tree in undisturbed mixed dipterocarp and keranga forests; usually on hillsides and ridges with sandy soils, but also on limestone; at elevations up to 300 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	30.00 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[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The fruits are used locally to make perfume[].

The yellowish sapwood is aromatic[].
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’[].
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[]

Propagation

Seed -

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