2663

12(3): Medicinal and poisonous plants 3

Heynea trijuga Sims

Curtis, Bot. Mag. 41 : t. 1738 (1815).

MELIACEAE

2n = 28

Heynea sumatrana Miq. (1861), Walsura trijuga (Sims) Kurz (1875), Trichilia connaroides (Wight & Arnott) Bentv. (1962).

Indonesia: mamak (Sumatra). Malaysia: mamak, tangisong burong, duak (Peninsular). Thailand: ka-do-nong aa-pee, song kae (peninsular), mafueang paa (northern). Vietnam: tr[uw][owf]ng n[as]t.

Heynea trijuga occurs from Nepal, India and Burma (Myanmar), through Indo-China, southern China and Thailand, to Malesia (Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo and the Philippines). Since long it is cultivated as an ornamental in Java.

In Peninsular Malaysia and northern Vietnam a leaf decoction of Heynea trijuga is drunk to treat cholera. In India the bark and leaves are credited with bitter and tonic properties and various plant parts are known to be toxic. Fresh roots are used to treat menstruation disorders in Nepal. The wood is used for beams and agricultural implements.

The pericarp of Heynea trijuga fruits contains tirucallane-type triterpenoids as well as limonoids. A crude bark extract showed a reduction in growth of larvae of the moths Peridroma saucia and Spodoptera litura. The active component was identified as hirtin.

A small tree up to 15 m tall; bole up to 20 cm in diameter. Leaves alternate, imparipinnate, (1—)3—5(—6)-jugate, up to 50 cm long; rachis transversely compressed at leaflet attachment points; petiole 5—15 cm long; stipules absent; leaflets opposite, ovate-oblong, 4.5—20 cm x 2—7.5 cm, base asymmetric, rounded to acute, apex acuminate. Inflorescence an axillary, corymbose cyme up to 50 cm in diameter, long pedunculate. Flowers bisexual, regular, 4—5-merous, scented, pedicellate; calyx c. 1 mm high, pale pink; petals oblong, c. 2.5 mm x 1 mm, white to pink or cream; stamens 8 or 10, united at base, alternately long and short, anthers inserted between 2 teeth; disk fleshy; ovary superior, 2(—3)-celled, glabrous. Fruit a globose capsule 1—2 cm in diameter, glabrous, pink, dehiscing by 2 valves, 1-seeded. Seed ovoid, almost completely enclosed by a white aril, testa dark brown, dangling from a long funicle. Seedling with hypogeal germination; cotyledons thick.
After a period of dry weather trees may become partially deciduous and flowering is initiated.
Heynea comprises 2 species. Heynea velutina How & Chen from Indo-China and southern China differs from Heynea trijuga by its hairy, 2-seeded fruits.

Heynea trijuga occurs in rain forest, especially in margins and in regenerating clearings and along roadsides, from sea-level up to 1250(—2000) m altitude.

Heynea trijuga is widespread, well-adapted to disturbed habitats, and is not threatened by genetic erosion.

Little is known on the pharmacology of Heynea trijuga. Further research is needed to evaluate the potential of its traditional medicinal uses. Heynea trijuga deserves more attention as an ornamental tree for roadsides and gardens.

[121]Burkill, I.H., 1966. A dictionary of the economic products of the Malay Peninsula. Revised reprint. 2 volumes. Ministry of Agriculture and Co- operatives, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Vol. 1 (A—H) pp. 1—1240, Vol. 2 (I— Z) pp. 1241—2444.
[178]Corner, E.J.H., 1988. Wayside trees of Malaya. 3rd Edition. 2 volumes. The Malayan Nature Society, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 774 pp.
[181]Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, 1948—1976. The wealth of India: a dictionary of Indian raw materials & industrial products. 11 volumes. Publications and Information Directorate, New Delhi, India.
[247]Flora Malesiana (various editors), 1950—. Foundation Flora Malesiana. Rijksherbarium/Hortus Botanicus, Leiden, the Netherlands.
[396]Inada, A., Konishi, M., Murata, H. & Nakanishi, T., 1994. Structures of a new limonoid and a new triterpenoid derivative from pericarps of Trichilia connaroides. Journal of Natural Products 57(10): 1446—1449.
[1019]Xie, Y.S. et al., 1994. Biological activity of extracts of Trichilia species and the limonoid hirtin against lepidopteran larvae. Biochemical Systematics and Ecology 22(2): 129—136.

[62]Backer, C.A. & Bakhuizen van den Brink Jr, R.C., 1964—1968. Flora of Java. 3 volumes. Noordhoff, Groningen, the Netherlands. Vol. 1 (1964) 647 pp., Vol. 2 (1965) 641 pp., Vol. 3 (1968) 761 pp.
[669]Ng, F.S.P., 1991—1992. Manual of forest fruits, seeds and seedlings. 2 volumes. Malayan Forest Record No 34. Forest Research Institute Malaysia, Kepong, Malaysia. 997 pp.
[731]Perry, L.M., 1980. Medicinal plants of East and Southeast Asia. Attributed properties and uses. MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States & London, United Kingdom. 620 pp.

S. Brotonegoro & W. Wiharti

Brotonegoro, S. & Wiharti, W., 2003. Heynea trijuga Sims. In: Lemmens, R.H.M.J. and Bunyapraphatsara, N. (Editors): Plant Resources of South-East Asia No 12(3): Medicinal and poisonous plants 3. PROSEA Foundation, Bogor, Indonesia. Database record: prota4u.org/prosea