Scientific Name : Sapium discolor (Champ. ex Benth.) Müll. Arg.
Common Name : Mountain Tallow Tree
Chinese Name : 山烏桕
Family : EUPHORBIACEAE
Local distribution status : Native species
| Origins | Distributed in southern China and other Southeast Asian countries, such as India, Thailand, Laos, Nepal, the Philippines and Vietnam. |
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| Ecology | Mountain Tallow Tree is the host plant of butterfly and moth larvae. For example, the larva of the tumorous moth feeds on the leaves of Mountain Tallow Tree. Its leaves are the primary food source of Gadirtha inexact’s larvae; a pair of glands near the leaf base secret nectars which are beloved by insects, especially ants. The ants are hired as ‘bodyguards’ to drive away any herbivore that tries to compromise the tree. In addition, its fruits are juicy and serve as a delicacy to many local animals such as Red-whiskered Bulbul, White-headed bulbul and squirrels. |
| Vitality |
Mountain Tallow Tree is widely distributed in secondary forests and shrubs in Hong Kong. It is a pioneer species of early plantation, can thrive in the shade or other different growth environment. Although this tree can adapt to different habitats, it is not an ideal pioneer tree for wasteland because it does not grow as well as it should in poor and full-sun exposed areas. |
| Application |
The roots and leaves are valued for their wonderful medicinal properties; the roots can promote diuresis, relieve swelling and stasis, and treat snake bug poisoning; the leaves are effective to encourage blood circulation and detoxification, and attenuate dampness. In addition, the wax coating on seeds is exploited for making soaps and candles. |
| Growing habit | Semi-deciduous shrub or small tree. |
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| Height | To 12 m tall. |
| Stem | Bark smooth, grey-brown. |
| Leaves | Simple leaves alternate. Blade papery, elliptic or oblong-ovate, apex obtuse or shortly acuminate, base cuneate, young leaves and aging leaves red. Petioles with 2 glands at apex. |
| Flowers | Monoecious. Racemes terminal, yellow, with several female flowers in the lower part, many male flowers in the upper part. |
| Fruits | Capsules globose, black when ripe. |
| Flowering period | April to June in Hong Kong. |
| Fruiting period | July to October in Hong Kong. |
Scientific name above is based on Hong Kong Herbarium website :
https://herbarium.gov.hk/en/hk-plant-database/plant-detail/index.html?pType=species&oID=3763
Scientific names from other databases :
― Flora of China : Triadica cochinchinensis Loureiro
― Plants of the World Online : Triadica cochinchinensis Lour.