Litsea glutinosa (Lour.) C.B.Rob.

Code

LISGU

Growth form

tree

Biological cycle

perennial

Habitat

terrestrial

Mayotte: Litsea glutinosa flowers from November to February and fruits from January to April.

Mayotte: Litsea glutinosa is an exotic species, widely naturalized and invasive in mesophilic and hygrophilic regions where it forms dense thickets in degraded forests and agroforests.
Reunion: Litsea glutinosa is an exotic, introduced species, and widely naturalized in fallows, wastelands and secondary forest from sea level to 600 m altitude. It is also present as a weed in crops, particularly in the sugar cane fields growing from seeds dispersed by birds.

Global harmfulness

Litsea glutinosa has a strong invasive potential. It takes the place of native plant species during the regeneration of disturbed environments. This results in a drastic loss of local plant biodiversity and consequently, the uniformity of the vegetation and the modification of the ecosystems concerned.

Local harmfulness

South Africa: Prohibited species, category 1. Considered a habitat transformer that competes with native plants.
Comoros: Litsea glutinosa is an important weed in Anjouan and Moheli islands but remains safe for the moment in Grand Comore.
Mauritius and Rodrigues: Invasive species.
Mayotte: The recruits of L. glutinosa occupy 9% of the territory. This species is present in all vegetation formations, crops, fallows, dry forest and humid forest. It is specially abundant in slash and burn places. It is a very frequent weed, present in 57% of cultivated plots and abundant in fruit crops and ylang plantations. However, it is also present in food crops where regrowth is very often observed. On the other hand, this species is almost not found in forage and vegetable crops.
New Caledonia: Litsea glutinosa is a fairly common species in a spontaneous state in the region of Dumbéa, rare elsewhere.
Reunion: Common species in wastelands and fallow lands and quite frequent weed but never abundant in sugarcane fields especially on the humid coast of the island. In degraded natural environment, it is a species becoming invasive. It is recorded in 35% of sugarcane fields, in all areas of the island.
Seychelles: Species present but not very invasive.

Medicinal: The leaves and buds of Litsea glutinosa have antispasmodic effects and emollients. Are used as an infusion or poultice.
Livestock feed: The leaves are good fodder for cattle and goats.
Agriculture: In Comoros L. glutinosa is used as a stake for vanilla.
Heating and construction: This tree was introduced as firewood throughout the Comoros in the second half of the 19th century to meet the enormous needs of the sugar cane distilleries, then of cinnamon, ylang-ylang and citronella. Wood is also used for construction.
Other: In Indochina, the mucilaginous bark is used to smooth hair and to make anti-mosquito candles. In Thailand, the fibers contained in the roots are used to make ropes and paper.

Herbarium pictures ReCOLNAT: https://explore.recolnat.org/search/botanique/simplequery=Litsea%2520glutinosa