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Useful Tropical Plants

Vitex glabrata

R.Br.

Lamiaceae

+ Synonyms

Vitex bombacifolia Wall. ex C.B.Clarke

Vitex cunninghamii Schauer

Vitex elegans Griff.

Vitex helogiton K.Schum.

Vitex minahassae Koord.

Vitex nitida Merr.

Vitex pallida Wall. ex C.B.Clarke

Vitex pentaphylla Merr.

Common Name:

Vitex glabrata
Flowering stem
Photograph by: Fagg, M.
Image credit to Australian National Botanic Gardens
Vitex glabrata Vitex glabrata

General Information

Vitex glabrata is a medium-sized deciduous tree growing up to 25 metres tall. The bole can be up to 125 cm in diameter and branchless for up to 15 metres[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
The tree is harvested from the wild as a local source of food, medicines and a good quality timber.
Vitex glabrata has a very wide distribution, growing in a range of different habitats. Although it is harvested from the wild for its timber and medicinal uses, the level of use does not impact significantly on the conservation status of the species at a global level. There are no major species specific threats identified. 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


Range

E. Asia - India, Bangladesh, Assam, through tropical Asia to Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Australia, Marianas Islands.

Habitat

Mixed evergreen forest, often along forest edges, sometimes also in deciduous forest or grassland, at elevations up to 1,000 metres[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].. In Myanmar it is often associated with teak (Tectona grandis)[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Properties

Conservation StatusLeast Concern
Edibility Rating *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *  *
HabitDeciduous Tree
Height20.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details


Prefers a well-drained soil[
652
Title
The Silviculture of Indian Trees
Publication
 
Author
Troup. R.S.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Oxford, at the Clarendon Press
Year
1921
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent treatment.
].

Edible Uses

Fruit[
146
Title
A Manual of Indian Timbers.
Publication
 
Author
Gamble. J. S.
Publisher
Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh
Year
1972
ISBN
-
Description
First written in the 19th century, but still a classic, giving a lot of information on the uses and habitats of Indian trees. Not for the casual reader.
,
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. The ovoid or obovoid purplish-black fruit is 12 - 25mm long[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

The fruit and bark are used as a component of masticatories[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Medicinal

The root and bark are astringent[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
The bark is used as an anthelmintic and as a remedy for gastro-intestinal disorders[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant has been recommended for growing in tea plantations to provide shade and wood[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Other Uses

The grey wood has a satiny lustre, it is moderately hard, close-grained and durable[
146
Title
A Manual of Indian Timbers.
Publication
 
Author
Gamble. J. S.
Publisher
Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh
Year
1972
ISBN
-
Description
First written in the 19th century, but still a classic, giving a lot of information on the uses and habitats of Indian trees. Not for the casual reader.
]. Of good quality, it is used for house construction, furniture, cart-wheels and oars[
146
Title
A Manual of Indian Timbers.
Publication
 
Author
Gamble. J. S.
Publisher
Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh
Year
1972
ISBN
-
Description
First written in the 19th century, but still a classic, giving a lot of information on the uses and habitats of Indian trees. Not for the casual reader.
,
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
,
652
Title
The Silviculture of Indian Trees
Publication
 
Author
Troup. R.S.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Oxford, at the Clarendon Press
Year
1921
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent treatment.
].
The heartwood is light straw to light brown in colour; it is not clearly demarcated from the lighter coloured sapwood. The texture is moderately fine and even, the grain is straight or interlocked. The wood is moderately hard to hard, and moderately heavy to heavy. Most specimens are small trees and their wood of rather limited dimensions, this limits their use to mainly items such as tool handles, posts, turnery, carving, and fancy articles[
966
Title
Identification and Utilization of Lesser-known Commercial Timbers in Peninsular Malaysia 8: Keruntum, Kungang, Leban
Publication
Timber Technology Bulletin No. 43
Author
Lim S. C. Gan K. S.
Website
https://info.frim.gov.my/infocenter/booksonline/ttb/TTBno43.pdf
Publisher
Forest Research Institute Malaysia
Year
2007
ISBN
139-258
Description
Part of an excellent series of handbooks giving information on the woods of southeast Asia.
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-11-21. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Vitex+glabrata>

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