Aglaia pachyphylla
Miq.
Batukanag
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Arief Hamidi, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Arief Hamidi
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Arief Hamidi, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Summary
Source: WikipediaAglaia pachyphylla is a species of plant in the family Meliaceae. It is found in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand.
Description
A tree. It can grow 40 m tall. The trunk is straight and can be free of branches for 20 m. The trunk is 65 cm across. It can have buttresses.
This description is brief — help expand it
Edible Uses
The fruit is eaten.
Medicinal 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).
Distribution
It is a tropical plant. It grows in evergreen forest and swamp forest on limestone or sandstone bedrock. In Thailand it grows from 50-700 m above sea level.
Where It Grows
Asia, Brunei, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Pacific, Philippines, SE Asia, Thailand,
Cultivation
The tree can commence flowering when only 1.8 metres tall. A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required.
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 brownish red; it is clearly demarcated from the pinkish-brown, pale brown or pale yellow sapwood. The grain is fine and curly; there is a pungent cedary odour. The wood is hard, heavy and is said to be durable. For beautiful colour and grain this wood is of a mahogany grade. It is used for furniture, flooring, general house construction (especially interior finish), and shipbuilding. It is used for making planks and for temporary constructions.
Notes
There are about 104 Aglaia species. They occur in Asia and the Pacific.
Synonyms
Also Known As
Chom phu samet, Ta suea
References (2)
- Coronel, R.E., 1982, Fruit Collections in the Philippines. IBPGR Newsletter p 8 (As Aglaia clarkii Merr.)
- Wongprasert, T. et al, 2011, A Synoptic Account of the Meliaceae of Thailand. Thai For. Bull. 39:210-266
