Cratoxylum formosum
{{Short description|Species of tree}}
{{Speciesbox
|image = Kemutun Cratoxylum formosum close up.jpg
|status = LC
|status_system = IUCN3.1
|genus = Cratoxylum
|species = formosum
|authority = (Jack) Benth. & Hook.f. ex Dyer
|synonyms = *Elodes formosa Jack
}}
Cratoxylum formosum is a species of flowering plant in the family Hypericaceae. Its commercial name in timber production is "mampat".{{cite web|title= 'Mampat' entry in the Wood Explorer database|url= http://www.thewoodexplorer.com/maindata/we347.html|publisher= The Wood Explorer database|access-date= 23 June 2011|archive-date= 6 October 2011|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20111006051059/http://www.thewoodexplorer.com/maindata/we347.html|url-status= dead}} The trees reach to {{convert|35|m}} tall, though they rarely achieve the size required for timber exploitation.
Description
The leaves are {{convert|5|–|9|cm}} long, and are arranged on the stem such that they overlap one another. They are elliptic, glabrous (lacking hairs), and have a papery texture. The flower clusters (inflorescences) are cymes that are shaped somewhat like short racemes. The flowers are white or pink, with sepals a quarter of the length of the petals, which have a rounded base.{{Cite book |last=Hooker |first=J.D. |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/354168 |title=The Flora of British India |publisher=Missouri Botanical Garden |year=1875 |volume=1 |pages=258}}
Taxonomy
The species was previously placed in the defunct genus Elodes under the name Elodes formosa. The Catalogue of Life lists two subspecies, C. formosum subsp. formosum and C. formosum subsp. pruniflorum {{Au|(Kurz) Gogelein}}. The two are differentiated by the nominate subspecies being totally glabrous, with leaves that are elliptic to oblong, rarely lanceolate and the anther connective not being glandular.Robson, N. 1974. Hypericaceae. Flora Malesiana series 1, 8: 1-29{{full citation needed|date=November 2024}}
Distribution and habitat
Cratoxylum formosum is a tropical plant found in the Andaman Islands, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.{{Cite POWO|id=433057-1|title=Cratoxylum formosum {{small|(Jack) Benth. & Hook.f. ex Dyer}}|access-date=13 October 2024}} The trees bloom during the dry period in seasonal tropical climates. They inhabit primary and secondary forests at altitudes from 0–600 m, with the upper limit to 1200 m, on slopes, river margins and swamps in sandy to clayey soils.
Conservation
Cratoxylum formosum is listed as least concern by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, but it is considered to be rare in Singapore.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}} It has a widespread distribution and does not face any major threats, though it is used in Laos for the production of charcoal.{{cite news |date=2011-06-21 |title=Charcoal maker rewards villagers for growing mai tiew |newspaper=Vientiane Times}}
Gallery
File:Kemutun Cratoxylum formosum.jpg|Cratoxylum formosum in bloom
File:Cratoxylum formosum fruits Laos.jpg|Fruit
File:Cratoxylum formosum2.jpg|Drawing of the species (1880 to 1883)
References
{{Reflist}}{{Cratoxylum Navbox}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q3336975}}
Category:Non-timber forest products
Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot
Category:Least concern biota of Asia