Aglaia elaeagnoidea

Aglaia elaeagnoidea, the droopy leaf or priyangu, is a species of plant in the family Meliaceae. It is a 10m tall tree found in American Samoa, Australia (Western Australia and Queensland), Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Samoa, Sri Lanka, Taiwan (Hengchun Peninsula), Thailand, Vanuatu, and Vietnam.

Description

A small tree. It can be 20 m tall. It can have buttresses. The leaves are compound. They are 6-19 cm long and 7-21 cm wide. There are less than 7 leaflets. The leaflets are oval. There are scales densely covering the lower surface of the leaflet. The flowers occur in a group. They are in the axils of leaves. The flowers have 5 petals and are white or yellow. They are 2-3 mm long. The fruit is 2.5 cm long and 1.5 cm across. It is a red berry dotted with small scales. There are 1 or 2 seeds about 10 mm long.

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw. An acid flavour. The seed is covered with a thin, white, gelatinous flesh (aril) that is sweet and tasty. The fruit is up to 20mm long and 15mm wide, containing up to 2 seeds.

Traditional Uses

The aril or layer around the seed is sweet and edible.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

In Ayurveda, the fruits are reported to be astringent and cooling. They are recommended in the treatment of inflammations and febrile complaints. The seeds are said to be useful in the treatment of painful micturition. The genus 'Aglaia' is the only source of the group of about 50 known representatives of compounds that bear a unique cyclopenta[b]tetrahydrobenzofuran skeleton. These compounds are more commonly called rocaglate or rocaglamide derivatives, or flavaglines, and most have been found to have potent insecticidal properties, antifungal, antiviral, antibacterial or anthelmintic bioactivity. Several of them exhibit pronounced cytotoxic activity against a range of human cancers. Since the first representative in this group was only discovered in 1982, this is one of the few recent examples of a completely new class of plant secondary metabolites of biological promise (see B. G. Wang et al., Biochem. Syst. Ecol. 32: 1223-1226. 2004; L.W. Chaidir et al., J. Nat. Prod. 64: 1216-1220. 2001).

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. In grows in rainforest and monsoon forest. It needs well-drained soils. In tropical Queensland it grows from sea level to 280 m altitude. In Thailand it grows between 30-800 m above sea level. In southern China it grows in dense moist forests between sea level and 1,500 m above sea level. In Yunnan.

Where It Grows

Asia, Australia, Cambodia, China, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, New Caledonia, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Philippines, Samoa, SE Asia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vanuatu, Vietnam,

Cultivation

Plants are grown from fresh seed.

Propagation

Seed - best sown fresh, it can germinate within a few weeks.

Other Uses

The genus 'Aglaia' is the only source of the group of about 50 known representatives of compounds that bear a unique cyclopenta[b]tetrahydrobenzofuran skeleton. These compounds are more commonly called rocaglate or rocaglamide derivatives, or flavaglines, and most have been found to have potent insecticidal properties, antifungal, antiviral, antibacterial or anthelmintic bioactivity. Several of them exhibit pronounced cytotoxic activity against a range of human cancers. Since the first representative in this group was only discovered in 1982, this is one of the few recent examples of a completely new class of plant secondary metabolites of biological promise (see B. G. Wang et al., Biochem. Syst. Ecol. 32: 1223-1226. 2004; L.W. Chaidir et al., J. Nat. Prod. 64: 1216-1220. 2001). The heartwood is red, the sapwood yellow. The bright red heartwood is heavy, hard, close-grained, lustrous and handsomely marked. It is useful for the spokes of wheels. We do not have any more specific information on the wood of this species, but the general description of wood from trees in this genus is as follows:- The heartwood is pale red to deep coppery red; it is clearly but not sharply distinguished from the pinkish or pale red sapwood. The texture is fine and dense; the grain often distinctly crossed and generally wavy, forming a regular diagonal wavy ribbon on radial sections; on tangential sections, an irregular, curly figure, marked with characteristic fine zigzag lines; most species have a distinct, even pungent, aromatic odour resembling both cedar and camphor. The wood is hard to very hard; heavy to very heavy; durable, the heartwood rarely if ever being attacked by termites, nor even the sapwood by beetles. It seasons well. It can be rather difficult to work, the curly and wavy grain requiring a very sharp and fine-set plane to surface it well; it can, however, take a very smooth surface under sharp tools. An attractive, strong and durable wood, individual species rarely come into the market, except in occasional very small lots. They are often well known locally for their strength and durability, being favourites for house posts, beams, window sills, windows, agricultural implements, etc. When available in sufficient size, the wood is suitable for a wide range of uses, including posts; ties; bridge and wharf building; beams, joists, rafters; flooring; sheathing and ceiling; fine furniture and cabinetwork.

Production

In Thailand flowering and fruiting can occur throughout the year but flowering is most commonly September to November and fruiting March to July.

Notes

There are about 104 Aglaia species. They occur in Asia and the Pacific.

Synonyms

Also Known As

Chang khru, Chokkala, Daeng khao, Jangamana hannu, Kraduk khiat, Kudka parndh, Nam phueng, Pohon langsat priyangu, Punyava, Sang khriat dam, Shanluo, Ta maeo, Yerra aduga

References (14)

• Ambasta S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 21
• Argent, G et al, nd, Manual of the Larger and More important non Dipterocarp Trees of Central Kalimantan Indonesia. Volume 2 Forest Research Institute, Samarinda, Indonesia. p 410
• Cooper, W. and Cooper, W., 2004, Fruits of the Australian Tropical Rainforest. Nokomis Editions, Victoria, Australia. p 285
• Dobriyal, M. J. R. & Dobriyal, R., 2014, Non Wood Forest Produce an Option for Ethnic Food and Nutritional Security in India. Int. J. of Usuf. Mngt. 15(1):17-37
• Fl. austral. 1:383. 1863

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