Antidesma montanum

Antidesma montanum

Know our Plant

Systematic Classification:

Division   : Angiospermae 
Class      : Dicotyledons
Family     : Euphorbiaceae
Genus      : Antidesma
Species    : montanum

Common Name:

Mountain Currant Tree , Neyththaali

General Information:

Mountain Currant Tree is a tree about 10 m tallm with thin flaky bark in old trees. Branchlets are cylindrical, velvety. Bark thin flaky in old trees. Alternately arranged leaves, 8-22 x 2.5-7.7 cm, are usually oblong to elliptic or oblanceolate, tip gradually pointed with a sharp point. Base is acute to rounded simple, Stipules occur in pairs, linear-lanceshaped, pointed, 1.2 cm long, Leaf stalk is 0.25-1.2 cm long. Flowers are borne in racemes in leaf axils or at the end of branches. Flowers are unisexual – clusters of flowers in male distant than in female. Drupe is elliptic, somewhat oblique, turning red; seed 1.

Economic Importance:

  • In Peninsular Malaysia grated roots of A. montanum in water have been used internally to treat measles, chickenpox and malaria, and the leaves externally against headache and thrush in children. In Thailand roots and stems are used as a diuretic. The fruits are reportedly edible.
  • The leaves of other Antidesma species are also used medicinally in South-East Asia, e.g. those of A. ghaesembilla Gaertner which serve in poultices to treat headache, scurf and swellings, and in an infusion against fever, those of A. cuspidatum Müll. Arg. to treat flatulence, and those of A. bunius (L.) Sprengel which are acid and diaphoretic and used as stimulant and to treat syphilis.
  • These species are primarily used for their timber and, in the case of A. bunius , also for their edible fruits. In Java, leaves of A. bunius are also commonly applied in traditional veterinary medicine for sheep and goats. A. neurocarpum Miq. and A. tetrandrum Blume play a role in magic rituals in Siberut.