English: Gmelina.
Region: Asia, southern China, Indian subcontinent, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines.
Habitat: variety of forest, tropical semi-evergreen, sub-montane, very moist teak forests, deciduous, sal and dry teak forests, Syzygium parkland, low alluvial savannah woodland; tolerant of very dry to wet areas in the tropics and subtropics; elevations up to 2100 metres; requires a sunny position, even when young; on many soils from acidic laterites to calcareous loams; poorly on thin or poor soils with hardpan, dry sands, or heavily leached acidic soils, well-drained basic alluviums; prefers dry, sandy or otherwise poor soil it remains stunted and is apt to assume little more than a shrubby form because of repeated dying back through drought; needs light, only in the open and on the edge of forests.
Content: traces of alkaloids.
Use: wood for fuel; reforestation, agroforestry plantations in South-East Asia, West Africa, South America, combined with cassava, yams, maize, peanut, cashew nut, tobacco, beans; ornamental, an avenue tree; fruit is edible, bitter-sweet taste; flowers, mixed with rice for delicious cake-like festive dish; wood for furniture, plywood, core stock, mine props, matches, for light construction, canoes, musical instruments, carving images, pulp for carton board, low-grade writing paper, particle board, fuel, charcoal; windbreak and as a hedge; wood ash and fruit for a very persistent yellow dye; medicine.
BotanyMedium to large deciduous tree; wide spreading canopy, large shady crown; 3 to 30 metres tall; fast-growing; unarmed; lifespan of about 40 years; resprouts after forest fires.
Stem: straight; cylindrical; 50 up to 140 cm in diameter; unbranched for 6 to 10 metres; numerous branches
Flowers: produce abundant nectar, high-quality honey.
Fruit: dark purple to yellow; an obovoid drupe; 18 to 25 mm long; aromatic, succulent flesh.