Melembu
A18
Common Name
Melembu
Scientific Name
Pterocymbium tinctorium
Growth Form and Foliage
- Tree grows up to 45 - 50 m tall.
- The straight, cylindrical bole can be 90 cm in diameter and unbranched for up to 30 m.
- Thin papery, becomes black after drying.
- Leaf margin is entire throughout the life cycle.
Flowers
- Fruit is a follicle, 5 - 9 x 1.8 - 2.5 cm.
- Seed is 1 cm long, basal, ellipsoid to ovoid. Propagation is by seed.
Fruits
The bark and fruits are poisonous.
Habitat
- Evergreen, deciduous or open forest in periodically dry locations at elevations up to 1,000 m.
- Virgin forests, mainly on drier soils.
Ethnobotanical features
- Fibre obtained from the bark is used to make rope.
- A strong rope can be made from the fibres with a tensile strength of 381 kilos per cm2. Immersion in water for 24 hours can increase strength by about 7%.
- The bark is used to improve black dyeing of cotton cloth.
- The white wood is light and very soft. It is used for construction, matches, veneer, floats and pulp.
looking forward
to meet you
Open daily, 7:00AM – 6:30PM
*Last entry is at 4.30pm
Lot 201064, Jalan Melati
53100, KL East, Kuala Lumpur.
+6019 300 3634*
info@kleastpark.com
* Kindly note that we are unable to respond to text or
WhatsApp messages
via this number presently, only telephone calls.
Do drop us an email instead. Our sincere apologies for any inconvenience caused.
Do drop us an email instead. Our sincere apologies for any inconvenience caused.
