Mallotus miquelianus (Scheff.) Boerl., Handl. Fl. Ned. Ind. 3(1): 290 (1900)

Named after F.A.W. Miquel, [1811-1871], director of Leiden Herbarium and writer of one of the first floras for Indonesia.

Synonyms
Mallotus anisophyllus Hook.f.
Rottlera miqueliana Scheff.

Description
Shrubs up to ca. 7 m tall and 17 cm dbh, reproductive from 0.5 m tall and 1 cm dbh. Twigs solid, sparsely to densely hairy (short simple, tufted and stellate hairs). Stipules triangular to ovate, usually early-caducous, erect, 4-14 mm long by 1-4 mm wide. Petioles densely hairy, petioles of opposite leaf pairs differing in length, petiole of large leaf 0.2-0.8 cm long, petiole of small leaf 0-0.3 cm long. Leaves opposite, one of each pair much smaller and differing in shape; large leaves usually obovate, 11-32 cm long by 3.5-12 cm wide, length/width-ratio 2.42-4.57; secondary veins 12-18, ending in the margin or not (looping); leaf base attenuate, slightly cordate, oblique; leaf margin with glands, serrate; leaf upper surface glabrous, with 2-4 rather large basal nectary glands on basal veins, some distance from petiole insertion, apical nectary glands present; leaf lower surface hairy (especially on veins), not or sparsely gland dotted, with or without hair tuft domatia in vein axils. Staminate inflorescences not branched; flowers clustered per bracteole; bracteoles with entire margin. Pistillate inflorescences not branched; fruits 8-12 mm wide, 3-locular, with few to many short spines.

Ecology
Locally common in primary and secondary forests (scrub) up to 700 m elevation. Mostly found on disturbed sites but also in the forest understorey; on undulating terrain, ridges, marshy areas, near streamlets, forest edges, and roadsides; on alluvial (swampy) to well drained terrain; on a large variety of soil types, from limestone to sandy soils to clayey loam.

Uses
Used for making walking sticks. Poison.

Distribution
Peninsular Thailand and Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo and the Philippines.

Local names