Litsea tomentosa
Blume
Lauraceae
Glabraria vestita (Nees) Miq.
Malapoenna tomentosa (Blume) Kuntze
Tetranthera vestita Nees
Common Name:
General Information
Litsea tomentosa is an evergreen tree that can grow from 8 - 27 metres tall. The bole can be up to 50cm in diameter, with short buttresses up to 1.5 metres high[
701- Title
- Asean Tropical Plant Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://211.114.21.20/tropicalplant/index.jsp
- Publisher
-
- Year
-
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Terse details, with photos, of many of the plants growing in the tropical forests of southeast Asia. Gives some details of plant uses along with a description of the plant and its range.
,
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.
].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its wood, which is used locally and is also traded as a source of 'medang' timber[
701- Title
- Asean Tropical Plant Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://211.114.21.20/tropicalplant/index.jsp
- Publisher
-
- Year
-
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Terse details, with photos, of many of the plants growing in the tropical forests of southeast Asia. Gives some details of plant uses along with a description of the plant and its range.
].
Litsea tomentosa has a wide range and is known from several 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)[
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.
Range
Southeast Asia - Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines to New Guinea.
Habitat
Lowland and hill forest at elevations up to 750 metres[
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.
].
Properties
| Conservation Status | Least Concern |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 22.00 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
The wood is used for internal construction[
701- Title
- Asean Tropical Plant Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://211.114.21.20/tropicalplant/index.jsp
- Publisher
-
- Year
-
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Terse details, with photos, of many of the plants growing in the tropical forests of southeast Asia. Gives some details of plant uses along with a description of the plant and its range.
].
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’[
701- Title
- Asean Tropical Plant Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://211.114.21.20/tropicalplant/index.jsp
- Publisher
-
- Year
-
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Terse details, with photos, of many of the plants growing in the tropical forests of southeast Asia. Gives some details of plant uses along with a description of the plant and its range.
,
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 soft to moderately hard, not very 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[
467- Title
- The Philippine Journal of Science. Vol. 4
- Publication
-
- Author
- Freer P.C. (Editor)
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- The Bureau of Science, Philippines.
- Year
- 1909
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A number of articles on Philippine plants, including one on the qualities of Philippine woods.
,
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 -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
