Timonius timon
(Spreng.) Merr.
Rubiaceae
Axanthes timoriensis DC.
Erithalis timon Spreng.
Guettarda polygama (Oken) Baill.
Guettarda polyphragmoides F.Muell.
Nelitris timon (Spreng.) Britten
Polyphragmon sericeum Desf.
Polyphragmon spiciflorum Zipp. ex Span.
Timonius brassii S.Moore
Timonius pleiomera Lauterb. & K.Schum.
Timonius polygamus Oken
Timonius rumphii DC.
Timonius sericeus (Desf.) K.Schum.
Timonius whiteanus S.Moore
Common Name:
General Information
Timonius timon is a shrub or small tree growing from 1.5 - 15 metres tall[
]. The bole can be around 30cm in diameter[
713- Title
- Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.anbg.gov.au/cpbr/cd-keys/rfk/index.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An online resource giving botanical information, and a little bit about plant usage, for over 2,700 species of plants found in the Australian rainforest.
].
The edible fruit is highly esteemed by local people and is often gathered from the wild.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
Range
Southeast Asia - Indonesia to Papua New Guinea, northern Australia and the Solomon Islands.
Habitat
Found in sandy and peaty soils, alluvium, rocky sandstone; along watercourses, on tidal flats and riverine flats in northern Western Australia.[
].
Properties
| Weed Potential | Yes |
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Tree |
| Height | 8.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
The plant has proved to be invasive in various areas where it has been introduced[
]. It is a ready invader of open, disturbed sites but, as time goes by, it seems to be overtopped and replaced by native species[
].
The bark is often rather corky, giving the tree some protection from forest fires[
713- Title
- Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.anbg.gov.au/cpbr/cd-keys/rfk/index.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An online resource giving botanical information, and a little bit about plant usage, for over 2,700 species of plants found in the Australian rainforest.
].
Edible Uses
Fruit[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
]. The shape and appearance of a crab or wild apple[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
601- Title
- The Useful Native Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Maiden J.H.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Turner & Co.; London.
- Year
- 1889
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Terse details of the uses of many Australian plants and other species naturalised, or at least growing, in Australia. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. The globose fruits are about 13mm in diameter[
713- Title
- Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.anbg.gov.au/cpbr/cd-keys/rfk/index.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An online resource giving botanical information, and a little bit about plant usage, for over 2,700 species of plants found in the Australian rainforest.
].
Medicinal
The plant was used medicinally by the Australian Aborigines[
713- Title
- Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.anbg.gov.au/cpbr/cd-keys/rfk/index.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An online resource giving botanical information, and a little bit about plant usage, for over 2,700 species of plants found in the Australian rainforest.
].
An infusion of the dried leaves is used as a contraceptive and in the treatment of fevers[
481- Title
- Medicinal Plants in Papua New Guinea
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Publisher
- World Health Organisation
- Year
- 2009
- ISBN
- 978-92-9061-249-0
- Description
- Traditional medicinal uses of 126 species from Papua New Guinea, including information on modern research into the plants.
]. Fresh leaves are eaten raw or are boiled until soft as a treatment for cough, malaria, shortness of breath, whooping cough and nausea[
481- Title
- Medicinal Plants in Papua New Guinea
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Publisher
- World Health Organisation
- Year
- 2009
- ISBN
- 978-92-9061-249-0
- Description
- Traditional medicinal uses of 126 species from Papua New Guinea, including information on modern research into the plants.
]. The juice from fresh leaves that have been heated and squeezed is drunk as a treatment for malaria - the patient also often bathes in the solution of boiled leaves[
481- Title
- Medicinal Plants in Papua New Guinea
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Publisher
- World Health Organisation
- Year
- 2009
- ISBN
- 978-92-9061-249-0
- Description
- Traditional medicinal uses of 126 species from Papua New Guinea, including information on modern research into the plants.
].
The leaves are applied topically in the treatment of snakebites[
481- Title
- Medicinal Plants in Papua New Guinea
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Publisher
- World Health Organisation
- Year
- 2009
- ISBN
- 978-92-9061-249-0
- Description
- Traditional medicinal uses of 126 species from Papua New Guinea, including information on modern research into the plants.
]. The leaf juice is applied topically to relieve aching muscles, arthritis and rheumatism[
481- Title
- Medicinal Plants in Papua New Guinea
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Publisher
- World Health Organisation
- Year
- 2009
- ISBN
- 978-92-9061-249-0
- Description
- Traditional medicinal uses of 126 species from Papua New Guinea, including information on modern research into the plants.
].
The juice extracted from the bark is drunk as a treatment for lung abscesses[
481- Title
- Medicinal Plants in Papua New Guinea
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Publisher
- World Health Organisation
- Year
- 2009
- ISBN
- 978-92-9061-249-0
- Description
- Traditional medicinal uses of 126 species from Papua New Guinea, including information on modern research into the plants.
].
Agroforestry Uses:
A potential pioneer species - it is a ready invader of open, disturbed sites but, as time goes by, it seems to be overtopped and replaced by native species[
].
Other Uses
The light-coloured wood is close-grained, easily worked and takes a good polish[
601- Title
- The Useful Native Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Maiden J.H.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Turner & Co.; London.
- Year
- 1889
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Terse details of the uses of many Australian plants and other species naturalised, or at least growing, in Australia. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. It is suitable for lining boards[
601- Title
- The Useful Native Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Maiden J.H.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Turner & Co.; London.
- Year
- 1889
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Terse details of the uses of many Australian plants and other species naturalised, or at least growing, in Australia. It can be downloaded from 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.
