Antiaris toxicaria aka False Mvule

Antiaris toxicaria belongs to the mulberry family, Moraceae. Its names include upas tree, ipoh, and bark cloth tree. Kew lists its native range from southern India and Sri Lanka to southern China. That range also reaches western and central Malesia. It grows in the wet tropics, though reports describe much broader habitat tolerance. These include dry areas, rainforests, and swamp forests.

This tree may shed its leaves or keep them year-round. Short branches spread out to form its crown. One reference lists a height of 131 feet [40 m]. Its fuller account gives heights reaching 148 feet [45 m]. Rare trees reach 197 feet [60 m]. The trunk can reach about 4.9 feet [1.5 m] across. Buttresses often support its base. The dark red fruit has an oval to egg-like shape. Each fruit holds one seed. Fruit length reaches about 0.066 feet [0.02 m].

For cultivation, it needs sun and prefers soil that drains well. It can grow in most soil types. Small seedlings persist in forest shade, but need full light to grow further. Exposed trees can grow fast on abandoned farmland. Reported height gains reach about 1.6 feet [0.5 m] each year. Many seedlings grow near parent trees, but few survive their first year. Fresh seed can germinate well, though it soon loses viability. Germination may take roughly three to thirteen weeks.

People grow this tree for ornament and roadside shade. Its dense crown gives deep shade beneath the branches. It also shows promise as a pioneer tree on disturbed ground. People harvest its wood for timber and its bark for fibre. The inner bark supplies cloth, sacks, mats, rope, and paper. Makers soak and beat the bark to form cloth. They also use this material for hammocks, sandals, and walls.

The fruit is reported as edible, but the bark latex is poisonous. It contains cardiac glycosides, which can affect the heart. Hunters in Southeast Asia use it in arrow and dart poisons. It poses a severe risk when it enters the bloodstream. Traditional medicine also uses the latex in small amounts. Larger doses can stop the heart and cause vomiting and convulsions. These uses do not establish its safety as a home remedy. Wood dust can irritate skin and cause work-related asthma.