Puspa (Schima wallichii) is a species of plant in Theaceae, a medium sized tree and producer of medium quality carpentry wood, spiral leaves, bell flowers, bulbous flowers, winged seeds, grows at elevations of up to 4000 meters and is widely used to make tools and construction materials.
S. wallichii has a height of up to 47 meters, stems cylindrical, up to 250 cm in diameter, branch-free up to 25 meters, the bark is cracked and forms longitudinal furrows, reddish brown to dark gray, the inside is bright red.
The leaves have a stalk of 3 mm and are spread in a spiral. Leaves oval to broad oblong, 6-13 cm long, 3-5 cm wide, wedge-shaped base, pointed tip, a large central vein and several lateral veins. Old leaves are green and thick, young leaves are reddish.
Flowers grow in the armpits at the tips of twigs and have protective leaves. The long-lived petals become fruit. The crown is white and attached at the base with many stamens in the middle. Fruits are round or square, 2-3 cm in diameter, open with five valves. The seeds are surrounded by wings.
This species lives in a variety of soils, climates and habitats. Often found abundantly in lowland primary forests, common in secondary forests and disturbed areas and grasslands up to 4000 meters elevation.
The wood is of good quality for home interiors, pillars, doors, windows, wood panels, flooring, tools and furniture, farm equipment, boat interiors, boxes and packing crates. The wood is also good for plywood, fiberboard, bridges and railroad sleepers.
The heartwood is reddish brown or gray brown, the sapwood is lighter in color and has no clear boundaries. Fine texture and smooth surface with straight or blended grain directions. Puspa wood has durability class III which is resistant to attack by dry wood termites, but not resistant to wood rot fungi. This wood is easily turned, planed, drilled, sanded and varnished with good results.
This tree produces good quality firewood with 19,980 kJ/kg. The bark produces a coloring agent, the tannins contained in it are used to tan the skin and poison fish. Leaves for animal feed. Flowers and fruit are dried as an astringent. The tree is also used for shade in coffee plantations, land reclamation and reforestation of water catchments.
TAXON
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Ericales
Family: Theaceae
Genus: Schima Reinw. ex Blume in Catalogus: 80 (1823)
Species: Schima wallichii (DC.) Korth. in Verh. Nat. Gesch. Ned. Bezitt., Bot.: 143 (1842)
HOMOTYPIC SYNONYMS
Gordonia wallichii DC. in Prodr. 1: 528 (1824)
Schima wallichii var. obtusata Choisy in H.Zollinger, Syst. Verz. Ind. Archip. 2: 144 (1854)
HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS
Gordonia chilaunea Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don in Prodr. Fl. Nepal.: 225 (1825)
Gordonia floribunda Wall. in Numer. List: n.° 1456 (1829)
Gordonia integrifolia Roxb. in Fl. Ind., ed. 1832. 2: 572 (1832)
Gordonia mollis Wall. (1829)
Gordonia oblata Roxb. (1832)
Schima antherisosa Korth. in Verh. Nat. Gesch. Ned. Bezitt., Bot.: 145 (1842)
Schima bancana Miq. in Ann. Mus. Bot. Lugduno-Batavi 4: 113 (1869)
Schima brevipes Craib in Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1915: 423 (1915)
Schima hypochra Pierre in Fl. Forest. Cochinch.: t. 121 (1887)
Schima hypoglauca Miq. in Fl. Ned. Ind., Eerste Bijv.: 484 (1861)
Schima lowii Pierre (1887)
Schima mollis Dyer in J.D.Hooker, Fl. Brit. India 1: 288 (1874)
Schima monticola Kurz in J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal, Pt. 2, Nat. Hist. 43: 93 (1874)
Schima pulgarensis Elmer in Leafl. Philipp. Bot. 5: 1843 (1913)
Schima rigida Miq. (1869)
Schima sericea Airy Shaw in Hooker's Icon. Pl. 34: t. 3309 (1936)
Schima sulcinervia Miq. (1869)
PUBLICATIONS
Barooah, C. & Ahmed, I. (2014). Plant diversity of Assam. A checklist of Angiosperms and Gymnosperms: 1-599. Assam science technology and environment council, India.
Chou, S., Chhnang, P. & Kim, Y. (2016). A Checklist for the Seed Plants of Cambodia: 1-272. National Institute of Biological Resources, Korea.
Girmansyah, D. & al. (eds.) (2013). Flora of Bali an annotated checklist: 1-158. Herbarium Bogorensis, Indonesia.
Grierson, A.J.C. & Long, D.G. (1984). Flora of Bhutan 1(2): 189-462. Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh.
Hara, H., Stearn, W.T. & Williams, H.J. (1979). An Enumeration of the Flowering Plants of Nepal 2: 1-220. Trustees of British Museum, London.
Kress, W.J., DeFilipps, R.A., Farr, E. & Kyi, D.Y.Y. (2003). A Checklist of the Trees, Shrubs, Herbs and Climbers of Myanmar. Contributions from the United States National Herbarium 45: 1-590. Smithsonian Institution.
Lê, T.C. (2003). Danh lục các loài thực vật Việt Nam 2: 1-1203. Hà Nội : Nhà xuất bản Nông nghiệp.
Mao, A.A. & Dash, S.S. (2020). Flowering Plants of India an Annotated Checklist (Dicotyledons) 1: 1-970. Botanical Survey of India.
Newman, M., Ketphanh, S., Svengsuksa, B., Thomas, P., Sengdala, K., Lamxay, V. & Armstrong, K. (2007). A checklist of the vascular plants of Lao PDR: 1-394. Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh.
Nguyễn, H.H. (2017). Thực Vật Chí Việt Nam. Flora of Vietnam 19: 1-357. Nhà xuất bản khoa học và kỹ thuật, Hà Nội.
Pasha, M.K. & Uddin, S.B. (2013). Dictionary of plant names of Bangladesh, Vasc. Pl.: 1-434. Janokalyan Prokashani, Chittagong, Bangladesh.
Turner, I.M. (1995 publ. 1997). A catalogue of the Vascular Plants of Malaya. Gardens' Bulletin Singapore 47(2): 347-655.
Wu, Z., Raven, P.H. & Hong, D. (eds.) (2007). Flora of China 12: 1-534. Science Press (Beijing) & Missouri Botanical Garden Press (St. Louis).
VERNACULAR NAME
Bangka: Mĕdang sĕru, Sĕru
Batak: Simartolu, Parakpak
Chinese (simplified): 红木荷 - 西南木荷
Chinese (traditional): 紅木荷
English: Puspa, Needlewood tree
Indonesian: Puspa
Java: Puspa
Ketapang: Penaga
Komering: Huru batu, Huru manuk, Puspa
Lampung: Kĕmĕtru
Minangkabau: Medang miang
Sunda: Cikoru, Cekru, Ceheru, Cihu
Thai: มังตาน(ทะโล้)
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