Melicope confusa (Merr.) Liu, Native Introd. Lign. Pl. Taiwan 2 (1962)
Latin for 'confusing', referring to this taxon's confusion withMelicope glabra.
Synonyms
Euodia confusa Merr.
Description
Sub-canopy tree up to 24 m tall and 47 cm dbh. Stipules absent. Leaves
opposite, tri-foliate compound, leaflets penni-veined, glabrous to hairy.
Flowers ca. 6 mm diameter, green-white, placed in panicles. Fruits ca. 8 mm
diameter, greenish, dehiscent capsules. The black seeds remain attached to the
inflorescence after fruit opening.
Ecology
In undisturbed to slightly disturbed (open sites) mixed dipterocarp forests
up to 200 m altitude. On hillsides and ridges with sandy to clay soils. In
secondary forests usually present as a pre-disturbance remnant.
Uses
The roots are used to make parang handles. The bark is used for treating
enlargement of the spleen. A decoction of the roots or leafy shoots with liquor
is ingested to treat hives.
Distribution
Borneo (Brunei, Sabah, East-Kalimantan), Philippines, Celebes, Moluccas.
Local names
Borneo: Pau, Silang kampong.
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