Family Phyllanthaceae

Antidesma coriaceum

mempunai, kayu mata punai

Genus of distinctive shrubs and small trees, common all over Malaya, name refers to use in India as anti-snake venom. In Malaya 27 spp of 170, most in Asia. This sp. common, fruit a juicy red or black drupe with thin pitted stone

Antidesma ghaesembilla

guncak, balong ayam (Penang)

Treelet to 6m, Malacca-Pekan northwards. Often
by rivers, or in open, usually secondary, forest.
Lowlands to 1200m. Most trees male or female.
Edible fruit & leaves, but acid, used medicinally.
1 fr TH 11/09

Antidesma salicinum


Sumatra, Malaya, Borneo. Flood resistant shrub along fast streams,
adapted to open conditions. burkill says many in genera have edible
shoots and fleshy fruits, many with medicinal properties. Name refers
to use in India for anti-snake venom. This from Rimba Ilmu 11/06.

Antidesma salicinum.

Antidesma salicinum leaf.

Baccaurea brevipes
rambai tikus

Throughout Malaya, Borneo. Small tree, seldom more than 9m. Common in lowland forest, often near rivers, occasionally in seasonal swamps. Leaves elliptic ovate, long tapering. Fruits round, 17mm diam. Seeds with translucent white pulp.

Baccaurea kunstleri

jintek bukit

Siam, N and E Borneo, Kelantan, Trengganu, Selangor southwards. Lowland
forest, uncommon. To 20m, steeply buttresses, fruits to 25mm, splitting,
seed jacket cream.

Baccaurea lanceolata

asam pahong

Sumatra, Siam, Java, Borneo. Malaya, mainly to south. Common small
to medium trees, lowland rainforest. Terminalia branching, distinctive,
big elliptic leaves. Fruits clustered w/translucent, juicy, sour,
edible jacket. Trees monoecious.

Baccaurea lanceolata fruit, old.

Baccaurea motleyana

Thailand, peninsula Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo. Fruits popular. Sap
from bark treats sore eyes, sometimes used with leaves of Mimusops

Baccaurea ramiflora

Genera description: Leaves spirally arranged, simple. Flowers tiny,
yellow/green in unbranched spikes drooping from branch/trunk. Fruit
medium to large berry. Male and female flowers on separate trees;
rambai and pupor the only spp. cultivated, 21 spp. in Malaya, lowland.

Baccaurea sumatrana


Malaya, Sumatra, Banka, Borneo. Medium tree to 30m. Fruits ovoid, 10mm long yellowish with thin wall, seed jacket orange, fruiting racemes 8cm amongst the leaves.

Glochidion superbum


Siam, Malaya, Sumatra, Banka, Borneo. Common in primary & secondary
lowland forest, straggling shrubs, leaves big, base heart shaped,
velvety below. Fruit stalked woody capsule, seeds smooth often with
thin fleshy red or orange skin.

Glochidion superbum leaf. Glochidion superbum flower.

Glochidion superbum flower.



Phyllanthus acidus

cermai, Malay gooseberry

One species, cultivated, origin unknown. Common village tree, especially
in north. Fruits cooked as a sour flavouring or acar; root is medicinal
but poisonous: boiled and steam inhaled for cough, weak infusion drunk
for asthma.