Melaleuca cajuputi

Melaleuca cajuputi

Synonyms

Melaleuca lancifolia Turcz.

Melaleuca leucadendron L.

Common name

Gelam kapur, Gelam tembaga

Origin

From southern China to the Philippines and Moluccas. In Borneo collected throughout the island.

Ecology

In open, savanna like vegetations and coastal swamps up to 100 m altitude. On poor soils. Often cultivated near houses and villages.

Description

A tree up to 25 m tall with a single stem, although it may reach 40 m and 1.2 m in diameter in some situations. It displays dense erect dull green foliage with grey to white papery bark. Range in latitude is 12°N – 18°S and in altitude 5 – 200 m. This is a species primarily of the hot humid climatic zone.

 Mean annual rainfall varies from 1300 – 1750 mm with a strong monsoonal pattern. The species grows in a wide range of situations but most stands are found on low swampy coastal plains often on heavy-textured black

soils that are subject to flooding for six or more months each year.

The species tolerates waterlogged sites including those subject to brackish water. It regenerates successfully in Imperata grasslands, is fire resistant and has the ability to coppice and root sucker. It is moderately fast-growing. The wood is hard and resistant to rot.

Uses

Therapy— Oil of cajuput is a diffusible stimulant of great power, and is indicated in all depressed and collapsed states of disease where there is no inflammation; such as we find in the advanced stage of adynamic fevers and malignant diseases. It stops the spasms, overcomes the collapsed condition, and in many cases effects complete reaction.

The leaves yield cajuput oil produced by steam distillation has been used as external applications for: - headache, tooth-ache, ear-ache, rheumatism,

bruises, sprains, contusions, chilblains, lameness, and other painful affections, the compound tincture (liniment) of camphor, well rubbed in before the fire, will be found to afford relief. The oil of cajuput and its preparations may be given on sugar, or mixed with honey, or in an emulsion, or in warm brandy and water.

Cajuput is a vermifuge, and may be used to destroy intestinal worms. It is antispasmodic, and is one of the most successful remedies ever employed in the painful cramps of Asiatic cholera was an established means of treatment among the older Eclectics. It is equally efficient in cholera morbus, cholera infantum, nervous vomiting, hysteria, and wherever there is depression of the vital powers associated with spasmodic action.

It is important that there should be no inflammation present when cajuput is employed; and when it is given internally in such complaints as cholera morbus, or spasms of the bowels, care should be taken not to excite inflammation of the stomach by a too free use of the remedy.

In acne rosacea, psoriasis and other scaly skin diseases the oil, undiluted, should be applied to the diseased skin three times a day.

In toothache the oil should be applied to the cavity of the tooth on cotton.

In neuralgia the oil should be applied to the seat of pain.

It is generally used in the round for posts, poles and piling.

Good fuelwood.

M. cajuputi makes an attractive ornamental tree, can be used for shade and shelter, and is a source of honey.

In Melaka, the trees of gelam have been used as a road-side shade trees in low lying stretches where they cross rice-swamps, but the crown is not enough to shade wide road.

This cineole-rich essential oil is used in local medicines and as an antiseptic and insect repellent.

Economic importance:

Environmental: ornamental

Materials: essential oils

Medicines: folklore

Forestry

The sapwood is light pink-brown in colour and sharply defined from heartwood which has a slightly darker shade.

The timber is moderately hard, and moderately heavy to heavy with an air dry density of 720 to 820 kg nr3 (average 755 kg m y}.

Texture is moderately fine to fine and even.

Grain is straight to shallowly interlocked. The timber has been reported to be durable especially in contact with wet ground and sea water.

Based on the density, the timber appears to be stronger than rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis) (density 560 - 640 kg m"3), light red meranti (Shorea spp.) (density 385 - 755 kg and mersawa (Anisoptera) (density 515 0735 kg nr1) but weaker than such timber as redbalau (Shorea spp.) (density 800 - 880 kg m'3), keruing (Dipterocarpus spp.)(density 690 - 945 kg nr3) and kempas (Koompassia malaccensis) (density 770- 1120 kg m-3).

The use of this timber is limited as the trees are available only in some restricted locations, particularly in the coastal swamp areas. The trees are often crooked and small, unattractive for use as sawn timber except for firewood. However, those well-shaped trees of good height can be used for poles, fishing stakes and piling works. The timber can also be used for parquet and strip flooring. When laminated, it can be used for such purposes as floor boards, stair steps, hand rails, table top and chair seat.

The papery bark has been used for caulking wooden boats.