Rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis)

Rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) is a plant species in Euphorbiaceae, a tree height of 15-25 m, but in the wild up to 43 m, a large trunk, grows straight and has a high branching above. The stem of this plant contains milk sap which is extracted as the main source of natural rubber.

H. brasiliensis has a cylindrical rod, brown and the inner skin secretes latex if injured. The leaves have three leaflets, arranged in a spiral, elliptical, elongated with a tapered tip, flat edge and bare. The main leaf stalk has a length of 3-20 cm and a minor leaf stalk for 3-10 cm.

Male and female flowers are separate, yellowish and have no petals. The fruit is a capsule that contains three and six seeds according to the amount of space, blackish brown with typical patterned spots and explosively open when ripe.

Rubber trees need a tropical or subtropical climate with a minimum rainfall of 1,200 mm per year and no frost. Tapping is one of the main activities of exploitation of this plant by opening the latex vessels in the bark of the tree so that it can flow quickly.

Latex flow velocity will decrease if the dose of latex liquid on the skin decreases. Rubber skin with a height of 260 cm from the ground surface is a tapping area for income over a period of about 30 years. Tapping must be done carefully so as not to damage the skin and rubber production will be maintained.

Clones are descendants obtained by vegetative propagation of a plant where the characteristics of the plant are exactly the same as the parent. The clones recommended for use when grafting and planting superior seeds by the Indonesian government are GT1, PR107, PR228, PR261, PR300, PR255, PR303, AVROS 2037, and BPMI.

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Subfamily: Crotonoideae
Tribe: Heveae
Genus: Hevea
Species: Hevea brasiliensis

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