Diospyros cambodiana

Diospyros cambodiana is a tree in the Ebenaceae family, endemic to the Mekong basin, Cambodia.[2] It grows some 15-20m tall in flooded/swamp forest.[3] One of its vernacular names ('ach kânndaô) derives from the perceived likeness of its flowers to mouse droppings.[3] The plant is used for construction, craftwork, firewood and medicine.

Diospyros cambodiana
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Ebenaceae
Genus: Diospyros
Species:
D. cambodiana
Binomial name
Diospyros cambodiana

Habitat

It is one of the 2 main tree species of the swamp forests that line the rivers and lake of Tonlé Sap region, along with Barringtonia acutangula.[4] The swamp forests at Tonlé Sap occur as a mosaic of stands of large trees and open areas with floating aquatic vegetation, a once-common habitat along rivers in Cambodia, now largely restricted to Tonlé Sap and small areas along the Mekong.[5] The two main trees typically grow with various woody lianas (such as Combretum trifoliatum, Breynia vitis-idaea, Tetracera sarmentosa, and Senegalia thailandica.[2]

Ecology

The tree is a highly preferred nesting site for the grey-headed fish eagle (Haliaeetus ichthyaetus).[6]

Vernacular names

The species is known as 'ach kânndaô ("droppings of mice", referring to the shape of the flowers)[3] or ach kândor,[7] and phtuôl,[3] ptol,[6] or phtuel[8] (Khmer, which at present [2021] still has no accepted roman transliteration).

Uses

The tree is a preferred source of wood for construction in the Tonlé Sap region.[2] The wood is also used to make toys and models.[3] In the early 20th Century, the species was widely exploited for charcoal-making, and it became rare on the Tonlé Sap floodplain.[8] Even though rare, it is still favoured for firewood collection.

The fruit is eaten to treat diarrhoea. Due to its bitterness it is usually eaten with the fermented fish paste prahok.[9]

History

Diospyros cambodiana was first described by the French botanist Paul Henri Lecomte (1856-1934), in the Bulletin du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris in 1929.[10]

Further reading

Additional information may be found in the following:

  • Govaerts, R. (2000). World Checklist of Seed Plants Database in ACCESS D: 1–30141.

References
  1. "Diospyros cambodiana Lecomte". Plants of the World Online (POWO). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  2. Davidson, Peter J.A. "The Biodiversity of the Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve 2005 status review" (PDF). amazonaws.com. UNDP/GEF-funded Tonle Sap Conservation Project. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  3. Pauline Dy Phon (2000). Plants Utilised In Cambodia/Plantes utilisées au Cambodge. Phnom Penh: Imprimerie Olympic. pp. 14, 15.
  4. Campbell, Ian C.; Poole, Colin; Giesen, Wim; Valbo-Jorgensen, John (2006). "Species diversity and ecology of Tonle Sap Great Lake, Cambodia" (PDF). Aquatic Sciences. 68 (355–373). Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  5. Theilade, Ida; Schmidt, Lars; Chhang, Phourin; McDonald, J. Andrew (2011). "Evergreen swamp forest in Cambodia: floristic composition, ecological characteristics, and conservation status" (PDF). Nordic Journal of Botany. 29: 71–80. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  6. TINGAY, RUTH E.; NICOLL, MALCOLM A.C.; WHITFIELD, D. PHILIP; VISAL, SUN; McLEOD, DAVID R.A. (2010). "NESTING ECOLOGY OF THE GREY-HEADED FISH-EAGLE AT PREK TOAL, TONLE SAP LAKE, CAMBODIA" (PDF). J. Raptor Res. 44 (3): 165–174. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  7. Lewitz, S.; Rollet, B. (1973). "Lexique des noms d'arbres et d'arbustes du Cambodge". Bulletin de l'École française d'Extrême-Orient. 60: 117–62. doi:10.3406/befeo.1973.5144. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  8. Roudy, Gaëla (2002). NATURAL RESOURCE USE AND LIVELIHOOD TRENDS IN THE TONLE SAP FLOODPLAIN, CAMBODIA: A Socio-Economic Analysis of Direct Use Values in Peam Ta Our Floating Village (M.Sc thesis) (PDF). London: IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINE: Faculty of the Life Sciences (University of London): Department of Environmental Science & Technology. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  9. THI Sothearen; and four others (2017). "The hollow drum: impacts of human use on the Tonle Sap flooded forest at Kampong Luong, Cambodia" (PDF). Cambodian Journal of Natural History (2): 179–188. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  10. "Diospyros cambodiana Lecomte, Bull. Mus. Natl. Hist. Nat. 1929, Ser. II. i. 431". International Plant Name Index (IPNI). The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
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