Red Kamala, Indian kamala
Mallotus philippensis
Family: Euphorbiaceae
What it is like
A small evergreen tree. It grows 8-12 m high. It has a bushy growth pattern spreading to 4 m wide. The small branches are slender. The young growth has rusty hairs. The leaves are 5-20 cm long by 5-9 cm wide. They are oblong and dark green. The edges of the leaves are irregular and wavy. The leaf tapers to the tip and is wedge shaped at the base. The veins are easy to see. There are a pair of side veins near the base then 5-6 other pairs. There are very small glands underneath the leaf. The leaf stalk is 7 cm long. The flowers occur along stalks 2-10 cm long. These are produced in the axils of the upper leaves. The flowers are small and brown and male and female flowers are separate on the same same plant, or on separate trees. The fruit are capsules 0.6-0.8 cm across. They are covered with red powder. The fruit have 3 lobes.
The capsule yields a red dye and the fruit have been used as a tapeworm remedy. It is used in medicine. It has anticancer properties. There are about 140 Mallotus species. They grow in the tropics.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. It grows in rainforests. It will grow on a range of soils. It can tolerate moderate frosts. It grows to 1500 m on the edge of the Himalayas. In Borneo it grows up to 1,600 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 9-11. Adelaide Botanical Gardens. In XTBG Yunnan. In Sichuan.
Countries/locations it is found in
Afghanistan, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, East Timor, Hawaii, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Middle East, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, SE Asia, Sikkim, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam, Yemen
How it is used for food
The unripe fruit are cooked as a vegetable. The fruit are powdered and mixed in curries. The seeds are cooked and eaten.
Edible parts
Fruit, root ?, seeds
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from fresh seed. The seed are washed and then sown. They can take several months to germinate. They can also be grown from hardened young cuttings.
In Australia, fruit are ripe September to February. In NE India August to May.
Its other names
Local names
Balek angin, Bol-khing-khang, Dieng-chandon, Hpadawng, Hpawng-awn, Isa isanete, Kamala, Kamasi, Kambal, Kamila, Kumila, Mai-hpawng-tun, Monkey face tree, Palannwe, Po-thi-din, Red berry, Rohini, Rohni, Roli, Rora, Ruen, Sindoor, Sindur, Sinduray, Sunduri, Taw-thi-din
Synonyms
Aconceveibum trinerve Miq.; Croton coccineus Vahl [Illegitimate]; Croton distans Wall. [Invalid]; Croton laurifolius Noronha [Invalid]; Croton montanus Willd.; Croton philippensis Lam.; Croton punctatus Retz. [Illegitimate]; Echinus philippensis (Lam.) Baill.; Euonymus hypoleucus H. Lév.; Macaranga stricta (Rchb.f. & Zoll.) Müll.Arg.; Mallotus bicarpellatus T. Kuros.; Mallotus philippensis var. reticulatus (Dunn) F. P. Metcalf; Mallotus philippensis var. tomentosus Gamble; Mallotus philippinensis var. reticulatus (Dunn) F. P. Metcalf; Mallotus reticulatus Dunn; Mappa stricta Rchb.f. & Zoll.; Rottlera affinis Hassk.; Rottlera aurantiaca Hook. & Arn.; Rottlera philippensis (Lam.) Scheff.; Rottlera tinctoria Roxb.; Rottlera tinctoria var. monstruosa Ham. ex Dillwyn; Tanarius strictus (Rchb.f. & Zoll.) Kuntze;