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Excoecaria agallocha L.
| Family Name: | Euphorbiaceae |
| Synonyms: | Excoecaria affinis Endl., Excoecaria camettia Willd. |
| Common Name: | Blind-Your-Eyes, Buta-Buta, Bebuta, Milky Mangrove, Kayu Buta-buta, Kampetti, Thilla, Tilai, 海漆 |
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Tree (Small (6m-15m)), Shrub |
| Lifespan (in Singapore) | Perennial |
| Mode of Nutrition | Autotrophic |
| Plant Shape | Irregular |
| Maximum Height | 15 m |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | From India and Sri Lanka, to southern China, Taiwan, southern Japan, south throughout Southeast Asia, to Papua New Guinea, Northern Australia and Pacific Islands. |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Shoreline (Mangrove Forest) |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical, Sub-Tropical / Monsoonal |
| Local Conservation Status | Native to Singapore (Least Concern (LC)) |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | It is a much-branched tree up to 15 m tall. Its bark is greyish-brown, warty, with vertical fissures and lenticels. The shallow, surface-running roots are often knotted and covered with lenticels. The plant exudes white latex from any broken part. It is also deciduous, and usually sheds its leaves just before the onset of flowering. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Its spirally arranged, stalked, simple leaves have papery and slightly fleshy leaf blades are usually oval to drop-shaped with shallowly toothed-margins, green above, light green below, 3.7–11 by 1.5–6 cm,, and with 2–4 glands on each side of the base where the leaf blade joins the petiole (leaf stalk). |
| Flowers | The plant is dioecious, producing only male or female flowers on different individuals. The minute yellow flowers are borne on catkins at the axillary. The male flowers are scented, less than 1 mm in diameter, stalked, and arranged in many-flowered clusters on catkins that are 2–13 cm long. The female flowers are much smaller, stalked, and arranged on catkins that are 0.5–3 cm long. |
| Fruit | The capsular fruits are almost round, 3-lobed, 4.5–5 by 8–9 mm, maturing from green to brown, and eventually splitting to release 3 seeds. |
| Habitat | It grows in muddy and sandy habitats, often in areas with a high input of freshwater, or landward margins of mangrove forests. It occurs locally in all mangrove forests and in the vicinity of Kranji Reservoir. |
| Associated Fauna | Its flowers are insect-pollinated. It is the preferred local food plant for the caterpillars of the moths, Achaea janatas, Iscadia pulchra, Selepa celtis, and of the genus Archips, Phyllocnistis, and Sauris. |
| Cultivation | It can be propagated by seed. |
| Etymology | Latin excaecare, to blind, referring to the poisonous, white latex of the plants of this genus that is reputed to cause blindness; Latin agallocha, resembling agarwood (Aquilaria agallocha; now Aquilaria malaccensis) |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Medicinal: The Burmese use the leaves to treat epilepsy. Oil distilled from the wood is applied to itch and skin infections in Malay folk medicine. The latex is mixed with coconut juice to treat pneumonia and asthma, and is also boiled to obtain an oily liquid that is used to treat skin diseases. The smoke from the burning wood is used to treat leprosy. The roots are pounded with ginger and used as an ointment for swelling on hands and feet. Timber & Products: The wood is used as firewood, charcoal, and to make small furniture. However, the wood is not durable and produces unpleasant smoke when burnt. Others: The milky latex is poisonous, and is said to cause blindness, pain and blood in urination, and intestinal inflammation. It is used as poison on darts and arrows, and for the medicinal treatment of ulcers. The bark is chewed and used to treat constipation. |
Landscaping Features
| Landscaping | It may be suitable as a marsh plant for the edges of ponds. However, it should be planted out of the reach of the general public as its milky latex is poisonous and can cause blindness. The dying red leaves of the tree are rather attractive, giving the impression of autumnal colours, especially if there are many trees growing together. |
|---|---|
| Desirable Plant Features | Ornamental Foliage, Fragrant |
| Landscape Uses | Coastal, Beachfront / Shoreline, Riverine, Pond / Lake / River |
| Usage Hazard - Cons | Irritant - Sap |
Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal
| Fauna Pollination Dispersal Associated Fauna | Caterpillar Moth Food Plant |
|---|---|
| Pollination Method(s) | Biotic (Fauna) |
| Seed or Spore Dispersal | Abiotic |
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Lots of Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Moderate |
| Rootzone Tolerance | Moist Soils, Waterlogged Soils (Drains Site, Does not Drain Site) |
| Propagation Method | Seed |
Foliar
| Foliage Retention | Evergreen |
|---|---|
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
| Mature Foliage Texture(s) | Papery |
| Prominent Young Flush Colour(s) | Pink |
| Foliar Type | Simple / Unifoliate |
| Foliar Arrangement Along Stem | Alternate, Spiral |
| Foliar Attachment to Stem | Petiolate |
| Foliar Shape(s) | Non-Palm Foliage (Elliptical) |
| Foliar Venation | Pinnate / Net |
| Foliar Margin | Entire |
| Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio | 3.0 (Tree - Intermediate Canopy) |
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) Remarks | Old leaf turn bright red. |
Non - Foliar and Storage
| Bark Colour(s) | Grey |
|---|
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower & Plant Sexuality | Unisexual Flowers , Dioecious |
| Flower Colour(s) | Yellow / Golden |
|---|
| Flower Grouping | Cluster / Inflorescence |
| Flower Location | Axillary |
| Inflorescence Type | Catkin |
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Mature Fruit Colour(s) | Brown |
|---|---|
| Fruit Classification | Simple Fruit |
| Fruit Type | Dehiscent Dry Fruit , Capsule |
Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 1600 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 2893 |
| Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |
