Myristica crassa
King
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Summary
Source: WikipediaMyristica crassa is a species of flowering plant in the family Myristicaceae. It is found in Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore and Borneo.
Description
A tree. It grows 10-25 m tall. The leaves are oblong to sword shaped and 17-40 cm long by 5-13 cm wide. The flowering shoots are 1-2 cm long among the leaves. The fruit are pale yellow to orange. They are 4-6 cm long by 3-4 cm wide. They have rusty coloured hairs that can be rubbed off.
Edible Uses
The fruit is pale yellow or orange, with an orange-brown scurf; the aril is (light) yellow, fragrant, edible. The broadly ellipsoid fruit is 35 - 60mm long and 30 - 40mm wide with a pericarp up to 10 mm thick. It surrounds a single, ellipsoid seed 30 - 35mm long that is covered by a yellow aril.
Distribution
A tropical plant. It grows in primary forests and along rivers. It grows between sea level and 600 m altitude.
Where It Grows
Asia, Indonesia, Malaysia, SE Asia, Singapore,
Cultivation
Members of this genus are mainly understorey and canopy trees of primary woodland. They need the shade of woodland, especially when young, though can often tolerate more open positions as they grow larger. They usually succeed on a range of soil types. Most species have a superficial root system and are best grown in positions sheltered from strong winds. Plants can flower and prodduce fruit all year round. Flowers are produced at the end of the branches. A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if seed is required.
Propagation
Seed - dries out easily, loses its viability rapidly, and cannot be stored. It is best sown in a shaded position in a nursery seedbed - germination is usually fairly quick with the seed of most species sprouting within 2 - 17 weeks. Grow the young plants on in a shady position, planting them out in their permanent positions when large enough.
Other Uses
The red sap (kino), present in the bark of most species in this genus, can be used as a dye that gives a permanent brown stain. The tree is a source of 'penarahan' timber We have no further information for this species, but the following is the general information for the wood of trees in this genus:- The heartwood can be dark reddish brown to light yellow-brown or brown with occasional pink tinge and dark red-purple stripes; it is not clearly differentiated from the paler sapwood. A blood red core is found in some species. The grain is straight; the texture is rather fine to slightly coarse and even; somewhat lustrous; without characteristic odour or taste. Growth rings are distinct, demarcated by layers of terminal parenchyma. The wood is mostly soft or moderately hard and moderately heavy; it is not durable, but is easily treated with preservatives. The wood dries rather slowly but with little degrade, though thin stock tends to warp. It is easy to work with, but sometimes easily splitting; planning is easy, with a smooth to moderately smooth finish; drilling and turning are easy with a smooth finish; nailing properties are generally good with some tendency to splitting. A light hardwood, it is mainly used for light construction work, partitioning, flooring, wall-panelling, moulding and other types of interior finishing, and for making tool-handles, woodcrafts, match boxes and splints, packing cases, crates, and household utensils. It is also suitable for manifacturing plywood, rotary veneer and wrapping and writing papers.
Synonyms
Also Known As
Pala hutan
References (4)
- Burkill, I.H., 1966, A Dictionary of the Economic Products of the Malay Peninsula. Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Vol 2 (I-Z) p 1549
- Flora Malesiana Vol 14 p 440
- Milow, P., et al, 2013, Malaysian species of plants with edible fruits or seeds and their evaluation. International Journal of Fruit Science. 14:1, 1-27
- World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
