The species Scaphium affine has sometimes been included here as a synonym of this species. We are following the treatment in 'Scaphium affine(Mast.) Pierre (Sterculiaceae) new for Thailand'[] which views them as two distinct species[].

Common Name:

General Information

Scaphium macropodum is a deciduous tree growing around 15 - 45 metres tall. The bole can be around 15 - 90cm in diameter, sometimes with thick buttresses up to 150cm high and 200cm long[, , ].
The seed is used to make a popular drink in southeast Asia. The wood is a source of 'kembang semangkok' timber and is harvested from the wild for local use and for trade.
Although Scaphium macropodum is found in forest which is under threat from logging and other human disturbances, it has a wide distribution and is not considered to be at any significant risk[], The tree is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(1998)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Southeast Asia - Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia.

Habitat

An upper canopy tree, growing in undisturbed mixed dipterocarp, (peat)-swamp and sub-montane forests, usually found on hillsides and ridges at elevations up to 1,200 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	35.00 m
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

The tree is monoecious, bearing both male and female flowers. However, the male and female flowers are very similar and are possibly both functionally hermaphrodite[].

Edible Uses

The seed, immersed in water for a night, exudes a gum, containing Bassorin, to such an extent as to fill a small cup. Very pleasant and wholesome, it is used as a refreshing drink, usually mixed with sugar and soaked basil seeds[].
The seed coat of all species in the genus contains large mucilage-sacs which, when placed in water, swell up to eight times their original volume to yield a transparent, mucilaginous gel[, , ]. This is removed from the seeds, mixed with the soaked seeds of basil (Ocimum spp.) and made into a refreshing drink[, ].

Medicinal

The gum obtained from the seed contains Bassorin[]. It is used as a stomachic[].
The seed coat of all species in the genus contains large mucilage-sacs which, when placed in water, expand to produce a jelly-like substance[]. This is used as a febrifuge and also to treat complaints such as coughs and asthma; diarrhoea and dysentery; and also as a remedy for pharyngitis and sore throats[, , ]. It probably works by coating the affected area in a soothing, healing mucilage and thus giving it an opportunity to recover[].

The seeds are used to treat diarrhoea, dysentery and asthmatic complaints[].

Other Uses

The fibrous bark is sometimes used for walls in temporary local houses[].

The wood of all species in this genus is very similar and no distinction in use is made between them[]. The wood is often traded; in Malaysia it is known as 'kembang semangkok', in Indonesia as 'kapas-kapasan', in Thailand as samrong. The following is a general description of the wood:-
The heartwood is light yellow to light brown, with a large silver figure; it is not clearly demarcated from the sapwood. The texture is medium to slightly coarse and uneven; the grain straight or shallowly interlocked. The wood is light to moderately heavy; soft to moderately hard; fairly strong; somewhat resistant to fungi but susceptible to dry wood borers. It seasons fairly rapidly, with very little risk of checking and distortion; once dry it is moderately stable to stable in service. Because of its high silica content, it has a blunting effect on tools and so stellite-tipped and tungsten carbide tools are recommended. It is easy to work, nailing and screwing are good; gluing is correct; planing is easy and the surface produced is generally smooth. Considered a light hardwood, it has a very attractive figure, making the timber very suitable for interior finishing, panelling, furniture components etc, It is also used in construction, for joinery, boxes and crates, flooring, matches, plywood etc. Logs can be easily peeled to various thicknesses of veneers without any form of pretreatment - the veneers produced are found to be smooth and tight. Attractive ornamental figures can be found on the veneer surfaces and the veneer can be glued fairly easily[, , , , ].
The wood is used for fuel[].

Propagation

A physical dormancy caused by the hard seed coat of the mature seeds of many species in this genus can be overcome by scarifying the seed. This is carried out by cutting away or abrading some of the seed coat to allow the ingress of water, though great care must be taken not to damage the embryo[]. The aril surrounding the seed should also be removed - this is easiest when it has been softened through soaking in water[]. The seeds germinate optimally at temperatures between 20 - 30°c. They can be sown in a nursery seedbed or in containers. A germination rate of about 95%, occurring within about 2 weeks can be expected if the seed has been properly treated[].

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