Symplocos odoratissima (Blume) Choisy ex Zoll., Syst. Verz. 2 (1854)

Synonyms
Dicalyx odoratissimus Blume
Eugeniodes odoratissima (Blume) O.K.
Pygeum grandiflorum King
Pygeum viride Baker.f.
Symplocos acuminatissima Merr.
Symplocos aluminosa Brand
Symplocos apoensis Elmer
Symplocos bulusanensis Elmer
Symplocos ciliata Presl.
Symplocos dagamensis Brand
Symplocos elmeri Brand
Symplocos floridissima Brand
Symplocos floridissima var. serrata Brand
Symplocos megabotrys Merr.
Symplocos odoratissima var. aluminosa K. & V.
Symplocos odoratissima var. divaricata Brand
Symplocos odoratissima var. leptocarpa S.Moore
Symplocos patens Presl.
Symplocos patens forma ciliata Brand
Symplocos patens forma elmeri Brand
Symplocos patens var. ciliata Brand
Symplocos pseudospicata Vidal
Symplocos pulgarensis Elmer
Symplocos pulverulenta King & Gamble
Symplocos repandula Miq.
Symplocos salix Brand
Symplocos trichophlebia Merr.
Symplocos verdifolia Elmer
Symplocos villarii Vidal
Symplocos wenzelii Merr.

Description
Tree (shrub) to 31 m high and 63 cm diameter. Twigs glabrous or tomentellous to tomentose or pubescent. Leaves glabrous or pubescent beneath, especially on midrib and nerves, with blunt, usually acuminate apex, acute to rarely rounded base and entire or mostly crenulate or dentate margin, (narrowly) elliptic to obovate, 7-20(-40) by (2.5-)5-10(-20) cm; nerves 5-13(-16) pairs; petiole stout, 1-5 cm. Flowers mostly many in a 5-30 cm long panicle which is sometimes only branched towards the base, the axes rusty tomentellous. Bracts at the base of the 3-7 mm long pedicel, 3-5 mm, bracteoles directly under each flower, both tomentellous on both surfaces, caducous. Calyx tomentellous, the lobes blunt, 0.5-1.5 mm. Corolla usually tomentellous, at least in bud, rarely nearly glabrous, 5-8 mm. Stamens more than 100. Disk hairy with 5 conspicuous glands. Ovary with same indument as calyx, 1.5-2.5 mm high ; style pilose towards the conical base, about as long as the corolla. Fruit glabrous or tomentellous, (obliquely) ovoid (or rarely narrowly flask-shaped, pear-shaped or globular), more or less narrowed towards the apex, 8-25 by 5-20 mm; stone with c. 5(-10) ridges. Seeds curved, with curved embryo. [From Flora Malesiana]

Ecology
Primary and secondary rain-forest, not rarely along river-banks, on sandy river alluvium, on brown sandy soils, black soils, loam and sandstone, sandy ridges and slopes, calcareous loam, dark red soil, near streams. From sea-level to 2500 m.

Uses
The wood is burned, and the ashes used to extract salt. The inner bark is used medicinally (kayu seriawan) and for dying purposes. The tree is mainly useful for the inner bark which is commonly sold in the medicinal market in West Java as kayu or kulit seriawan. Decoctions are used against sprue-like diseases; also pounded bark is applied to the gums and young leaves are sometimes eaten or applied externally on mouth and nose. Obat seriawan is officially recognized in the Dutch pharmacopeia.

Distribution
Thailand to the Moluccas. In Borneo collected throughout the island.

Local names
Borneo: Lisang, Margaram.