Stinkwood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Stinkwood |
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| Leaves of Celtis timorensis | |
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| Genus: |
Celtis
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| Species: |
timorensis
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Celtis timorensis, often called stinkwood or stinking wood, is a type of flowering plant. It belongs to the Cannabaceae family and grows in warm, tropical parts of Asia. Its scientific name, timorensis, comes from the island of Timor, where it was first found.
The most famous thing about this tree is its strong, unpleasant smell. It smells a bit like animal waste! This smell comes from its bark and sap and can fill the air around it. The smell is caused by a natural chemical called skatole. Because of this, in Thailand, people have funny names for it, like 'wipe the bottom timber'. In Sri Lanka, the inner wood of the tree is used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine. People there use it to help with illnesses like chickenpox and measles.
Contents
What is Stinkwood?
Celtis timorensis is a large tree that can grow up to 25 meters (about 82 feet) tall. Its wood and sap have a very strong, unpleasant smell. This smell is like animal waste because of a chemical called skatole found in the tree.
Leaves, Flowers, and Fruits
The leaves of the stinkwood tree are shaped like an oval or a long circle. They are usually 50 to 130 millimeters (about 2 to 5 inches) long. You can easily see three main veins on each leaf. The edges of the leaves are also serrated, which means they have small, saw-like teeth. This helps tell them apart from other trees with similar leaves.
The flowers of the stinkwood tree are greenish. Male flowers grow in short clusters, while female flowers are more slender. After the flowers, the tree produces fruits that look like small pears. These fruits are called drupes and have a hard, tough inner part that protects the seed. The seeds are spread by water, which helps the tree grow in new places.
Where Does Stinkwood Grow?
This tree is found across many tropical areas of Asia. You can find it from India and Sri Lanka all the way through Southeast Asia. It also grows in southern China, Malesia, and the Philippines.
Stinkwood's Habitat
Stinkwood trees are also found on Christmas Island. This island is an Australian territory in the Indian Ocean. On Christmas Island, stinkwood makes up about 1% of the tall trees in the old rainforests. It prefers to grow in drier rainforests where there are clear wet and dry seasons.
