'74 



Melaleuca leucadendron i L. Gelam. 



A common tree in swampy spots in Malacca and elsewhere, is 

 our only species of this genus, which is typically Australian. It is 

 a fairly large straight tree, attaining a height of 40 feet and a dia- 

 meter of 2 feet. The bark is very thick and whitish peeling off in 

 large flakes. It is used for caulking bo its, and making torches etc. 

 An attempt has been made in Australia to utilize it as a paper-stuff 

 but without sufficient success. The leaves are narrow lanceolate 

 dull green and small, with a strong smell of Kayu putih (Cajeput) 

 oil which indeed is extracted from them, in the Moluccas. One or 

 two attempts have been made to prepare oil from the leaves here, 

 but from some unexplained reason the oil did not suit the home 

 market, partly perhaps on account of its dull colour, but as the tree 

 seems to be alsolutely identical with that of Buru, where the oil is 

 usually manufactured there seems no reason why the oil should not 

 be manufactured here. It is prepared by distilling the leaves. 



The tree is of fairly rapid growth and will grow even in water; 

 edges of ricefields suit it and it is planted as a shade tree along 

 the roads across the ricefields in Malacca where it has not only 

 the advantage of being a good shade tree by day, but also from 

 its white bark can easily be seen in the night. It is very suitable 

 too for planting as a firewood supply, as it gives plenty of wood 

 for burning very soon after planting. The wood is hard and 

 moderately heavy dark brown, close grained pores small in short 

 rows parallel to the rays, and connected by short concentric wavy 

 bars of light tissue, rings fairly distinct, rays very fine and nume- 

 rous. Used in building, piles etc. 



Weight 46 lbs. 12J ozs. (Maingay), S. 64 lbs. n ozs. 



It is used for piles etc. Weight 46 lbs. I2| ozs. a cubic foot 

 (Maingay.) 



Rhodamnia trinervia, Bl. Mempayan. 



Is a very common tree in secondary jungle. It attains seldom 

 any great size usually about 20 to 30 feet with a diameter of stem 

 of a foot. It has ovate 3 nerved leaves usually silvery on the back, 

 small white flowers often produced in great abundance and red 

 berries turning black when ripe. The timber is very hard and 

 durable, troublesome indeed to cut, heavy and of a dark brown 

 colour with little or no sapwood. The pores are few and the rays 

 very fine. The bark is thin brown and flaky, could large sized 

 timber of this tree be procured it would be very valuable, but it is 

 difficult to get even a moderate sized beam from it. It grows 

 readily in very poor soil and can stand grass fires pretty well. 

 Weight 44 lbs. 9 ozs ; 63 lbs. 10 ozs. (Maingay), S. 56 lbs. to 59 lbs. 

 Wood used in Sumatra for building, and ploughs (Veth). 



Baeckia frutescens, L. Daun Chuchor Atap. 

 A small or medium-sized tr< e w ith rough flaky bark, aromatic 

 needle-like leaves, (used in native medicine for fever) and small 

 white flowers. Attains a height of 20 or 30 feet and a diameter 

 of 4 or 5 inches. It only occurs at an altitude of 3,000 feet and 



