Cleistanthus sumatranus
(Miq.) Mull.Arg.
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Summary
Source: WikipediaCleistanthus sumatranus is an accepted name of a tree species in the genus Cleistanthus (family Phyllanthaceae). No subspecies are listed in the Catalogue of Life. It is found in dense deciduous or evergreen forests, from sea level to approximately 700 m (2,300 ft) in Brunei, Cambodia, southern China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. In Chinese, it is called 闭花木 bi hua mu and in Vietnamese Cách hoa (Sumatra).
Description
A shrub or tree. It grows 20 m tall. The leaves are leathery and egg-shaped and green above and pale green underneath. They are 2-10 cm long by 1-4 cm wide. The flowers are in clusters of up to 7 in the axils or on the branches. The fruit are purplish-red and 1 cm across. There can be up to 2 brown seeds in each section of the fruit.
Edible Uses
The leaves are edible.
Distribution
A tropical plant. It grows up to 775 m above sea level.
Where It Grows
Asia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, SE Asia, Singapore,
Cultivation
Plants can be grown from seeds.
Notes
There are about 100-140 Cleistanthus species. It has also been put in the family Euphorbiaceae.
Synonyms
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 1 (A-H) p 587 (As Cleistanthus heterophyllus)
- Martin, F.W. & Ruberte, R.M., 1979, Edible Leaves of the Tropics. Antillian College Press, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. p 191 (As Cleistanthus heterophyllus)
- Schatz, G.E., 2001, Generic Tree Flora of Madagascar. Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden. p 151 (Genus)
- World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
