Common Name: Ambra

General Information

Anbra is a deciduous tree that can grow up to 25 metres tall, though in the cooler parts of its range it can be considerably smaller, and specimens up to 40 metres tall have been recorded from Malaysia. The bole can be free of branches for more tha half its height, 30 - 60cm in diameter, sometimes with buttresses[, , , , ].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its edible fruits, leaves and flowers, which are consumed locally[]. It is also sometimes cultivated in home gardens for its fruit[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

E. Asia - southern China, Indian subcontinent, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and the Solomon Islands.

Habitat

Besides the cultivated state, the plant is found in primary and mixed forests, also in more open, secondary formations, in teak-forest, savannahs, and in dry areas, sometimes on limestone, at elevations from the lowland up to 500 metres[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	12.00 m
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

A tree of hot, tropical lowlands[].
Succeeds in full sun and in partial shade[]. Prefers a well-drained soil[].
The exact true wild range of the plant is difficult to establish because it is widely cultivated and has a tendency to naturalize[].

Edible Uses

The leaves are used for flavouring[]. A sour flavour, they are used in stews[].

Fruit - raw or cooked. It has a sour flavour when green and unripe and is eaten as a vegetable and added to stews[, ]. When ripe it has a watery, almost odourless acid taste[]. The somewhat fibrous pulp is very acidic, even when fully ripe[]. It can be made into chutneys, stews, pickles and jams[]. The fleshy fruit is a yellow-orange, ellipsoid drupe, 27 - 50mm long and 25 - 35mm wide with the seed surrounded by a capsule of intertwined fibres[].

Flower clusters - cooked or in salads[].

Medicinal

The fruit is used as an astringent and antiscorbutic[]. It is used in the treatment of bilious dyspepsia[].
The juice of the fruit is applied against earache[].

The bark is recommended in the treatment of stomach aches and dysentery[, ].
A paste of the bark is applied topically in the treatment of rheumatism and swollen joints[, ].

The root is considered to be useful in regulating menstruation[].

Other Uses

The wood is soft and deteriorates quickly in the open. It can be used for lower value items such as packing cases, floats, matches and non-ornamental plywood, and is traditionally used for making canoes[]. The wood is used for mouldings, interior finishing, drawers, pulp, matchboxes, boxes,
crates, carvings[]. It is fairly good for unbleached wood pulp[].
The wood makes a poor quality fuel[].

Propagation

Seed -
Cuttings

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