Tetrameles nudiflora

What to Eat

Edible parts: ? Medicine

Where to Find It

It is a tropical plant. It grows from sea level to 500 m above sea level.

Asia, Australia, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, SE Asia, Sikkim, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam,

How to Identify

A large tree. It grows 25-50 m tall. The bark is shiny brown. It loses its leaves during the year. The leaves are heart shaped and 11-17 cm long by 9-12 cm wide. The flowering shoots are 8-20 cm long. They are usually produced when the tree is leafless. The fruit is a round or urn shaped capsule. It is 4-5 mm long. There are many very small seeds.

How to Grow

The tree is restricted to regions with a more or less well pronounced dry season. Prefers a deep, humus-rich grey soil. Trees are not resistant to forest fires.

Other Uses

The wood is light brown-grey with no distinction between heartwood or sapwood. Although it is available in large dimensions, is of an inferior quality. It is suitable for temporary buildings, wooden boxes (and matches?). Traditionally it is used for making canoes. The canoes are rubbed in oil and, when used in salt water, can last 8 - 10 years.