This tall, beautiful tree grows on the islands of the Malay Archipelago, and is especially common in Java. Its slender trunk, at the base of which there are plank-like supporting roots inherent in many tropical trees, reaches 40 meters in height and bears a rounded small crown. Belongs to the "tree of death" to the mulberry family and is a close relative of the mulberry and the tropical inhabitant of the ficus.Bark cloth tree is a deciduous to evergreen, small to large tree with a crown of short, spreading branches; it usually grows up to 45 metres tall though exceptional specimens up to 60 metres are known. The bole can be up to 150cm in diameter and is usually buttressed
The tree is quite widely exploited for its timber and is also used medicinally It has excellent prospects for use as a pioneer species and, because it casts a dense shade, it is sometimes planted as a roadside treeA latex obtained from the bark contains varying amounts of cardiac glycosides and can be very poisonous The latex is one of the principle components of most dart and arrow poisons in South-East Asia
Though the latex is known to be highly poisonous if injected into the blood stream (which is used widely in SE Asia by hunting communities), if swallowed its toxic properties are apparently not effective
The sawdust from the wood may cause skin irritation and occupational asthma
ark cloth tree is a plant of tropical areas, where it can be found in a wide range of environmental conditions from semi arid to rainforest and even in swamp forests
Succeeds in most soil types, preferring well-drained conditionsRequires a sunny position
Seedlings are usually abundant near the mother tree, but experience high mortality in the first year In the shade of the forest, seedlings up to 40cm tall are common, but exposure to full light is required for further growth nder exposed conditions, the tree can grow rapidly; growth rates of 50 cm/year in height are common in abandoned farmland
The latex yield of a scarred tree may be 100 - 500g in 2 days[
Plants are not very tolerant of fire Bark cloth tree is regarded as a single species with 5 subspecies; subsp. Toxicaria and macrophylla occur within the Malesian region In Africa this tree has three varieties, which are africana, humbertii and welwitschii. They are clearly distinguished by their habitat preferences and juvenile forms. While one is found largely in wooded grassland, the others grow in rain forest, wetter forest, riverine and semi-swamp forestsA latex obtained from the bark is often used in traditional medicine[t is reported to be a mild circulatory and cardiac stimulant when used in very small amounts, but in large amounts it is a myocardial poison. The active principles are cardiac glycosides (cardenolides) which have digitalis-like effects on the heart[ n larger amounts they lead to cardiac arrest and secondary effects such as vomiting and convulsions[ he poison must enter the bloodstream to be effective; the latex can be ingested without any effects[ orts claim that the latex from African trees is less poisonous or even innocuous[2t is possible that these reports refer to the latex being used differently, not as a dart or arrow poison as in South-East Asia, and thus not entering the bloodstream[2n Africa the latex is applied to cuts, wounds and skin complaints such as eczema and leprosy, and is taken internally as a purgative[2he seeds are astringent and febrifuge. They are used in the treatment of dysenteryThe ripe seeds are roasted over a fire and then eaten as a treatment for small growths on the body[
The leaves are astringent and febrifuge[2The bark is anodyne, astringent, febrifuge and vermifuge. It is used in the treatment of hepatitis[2he inner bark is chewed, and the juice swallowed, as a treatment for disorders of the spleen[.A decoction of the inner bark is drunk as a treatment for cancer, leukaemia and spleenomegaly[n aqueous ethanol extract of the bark exhibited cytotoxic activity against tumour cell lines
