Indian Laurel. Brown bollygum, Maida lakri
Litsea glutinosa

Family: Lauraceae

What it is like

Litsea glutinosa is an evergreen Tree growing to 15 m (49ft) by 12 m (39ft) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 15

Where it is found

Forest margins, streamsides, sparse forests or thickets at elevations of 500 - 1,900 metres. Mixed primary and secondary forest and thickets.

E. Asia - southern China, Indian subcontinent, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines to Australia.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, East Timor, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, SE Asia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam

How it is used

Food

Rating: 2

The fruits have a sweet creamy edible pulp.

Medicine

Rating: 2

The root bark and leaves are used medicinally to reduce fever, reduce swelling, and treat diarrhoea. They also may be used for treating furunculosis. The leaves, and the mucilage in the gum from the bark, have been used for making poultices. The bark also acts as a demulcent and mild astringent in the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery. The pounded seeds are applied externally against boils.

Dysentery: Used in treating dysentery - an infection of the intestines that causes diarrhoea containing blood or mucus.

Other

Rating: 3

The bark and wood contain gluten and may be used as binders. The seed core contains around 50% of oil, which is used to make soap. The seeds contain an aromatic oil which has been used to make candles and soap. Although it says aromatic oil, it probably refers to a fixed oil. The roots yield fibres that are used for rope manufacture and for paper pulp. The yellow-brown wood is moderately hard, moderately heavy, the grain is slightly crossed in narrow bands; the texture fine and dense. It is used for making furniture. There are a number of tree species (including this one) from southeast Asia that are in the family Lauraceae and produce a useful timber that is either not distinct enough in itself, or is in insufficient supply, to warrant being traded individually. These various species have been lumped together under the trade name ‘medang’. We do not have any more specific information of the wood from this species, but a general description of medang timber is as follows: The heartwood is very variable, from light-straw to red-brown and olive brown; the sapwood is ill-defined. The texture is moderately fine but even; the grain interlocked or wavy; the surface dull. The wood is soft to moderately hard, not very durable. It is easy to slightly difficult to resaw, and easy to moderately easy to cross-cut; easy to plane and the surface produced is smooth to moderately smooth. It is suitable for decorative work such as interior finishing, panelling, furniture and cabinet making. It is also suitable for plywood manufacture, whilst the heavier species are suitable for medium construction under cover. The use of Litsea glutinosa as a fodder tree is particularly developed in Mayotte (Indian Ocean) where it has been reported that 93% of the cattle farmers were using Litsea glutinosa forage (Aubriot, 2011).

Fodder: Food given to the animals (including plants cut and carried to them) rather than forage for themselves.

Fodder: Bank: Fodder banks are plantings of high-quality fodder species. Their goal is to maintain healthy productive animals. They can be utilized all year, but are designed to bridge the forage scarcity of annual dry seasons. Fodder bank plants are usually trees or shrubs, and often legumes. The relatively deep roots of these woody perennials allow them to reach soil nutrients and moisture not available to grasses and herbaceous plants.

Industrial Crop: Oil: Materials, chemicals and energy include bioplastics, biomass, glycerin, soaps, lubricants, paints, biodiesel. Oilseed crop types.

Management: Standard: Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.

Regional Crop: These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.

Fodder: Bank: Fodder banks are plantings of high-quality fodder species. Their goal is to maintain healthy productive animals. They can be utilized all year, but are designed to bridge the forage scarcity of annual dry seasons. Fodder bank plants are usually trees or shrubs, and often legumes. The relatively deep roots of these woody perennials allow them to reach soil nutrients and moisture not available to grasses and herbaceous plants.

Industrial Crop: Oil: Materials, chemicals and energy include bioplastics, biomass, glycerin, soaps, lubricants, paints, biodiesel. Oilseed crop types.

Management: Standard: Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.

Regional Crop: These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.

Carbon Farming: Plants that can be a critical part of the solution to climate problems. The Carbon Farming Solution - Eric Toensmeier.

How it is grown

Not known

Propagating it: Seed - germination is not very rapid, approximately 85% germination is achieved in 15 - 45 days.

Best place to grow:

Habit: Tree

Hardiness: 10-12

Growth: Fast

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

The environmental status of Litsea glutinosa differs between countries. In the Northern Philippines, it is considered as a disappearing useful multipurpose tree and is subject to a conservation program (Rabena, 2008). Globally, Litsea glutinosa is not considered as invasive (Jacq et al., 2005). However, it has a high invasion potential and displaces regenerating native plant species in disturbed environments (GISD, 2012). It is considered as opportunistic in the eastern coastal region of China, and invasive in KwaZulu-Natal and several islands of the Indian Ocean (Mauritius, Réunion, Mayotte), though not in the Seychelles. In Mayotte, its utilization as fodder somewhat alleviates its pest status. The invasive properties of Litsea glutinosa can also be used for reforestation of damaged soils (Jacq et al., 2005).

Its other names

Local names

Bagnara, Bolly beach, Chandra, Elumpurukki, Garbijaur, Garur, Heluka, Huru tangkalak, Jaisanda, Kawala, Kukur chita, Maeda lakari, Maida lakadi, Maida lakri, Mai-mi-myen, Mai-ong-tong, Malai, Malek, Meda lakri, Meda sak, Medh, Menda, Mushaippeyetti, Naramamidi, Narra alagi, Ondon, Pohon medang tangkalak, Ratun, Soft bollygum, Suppatnyok, Tagu-shaw, Tulan, Uralli, Wuru lilin

Synonyms

Litsea laurifolia (Jacq.) F.M.Bailey Litsea sebifera Pers. Sebifera glutinosa Lour. Tetranthera laurifolia Jacq.