Rottlera tinctoria Roxb.

A small to medium-sized monoecious tree, up to 25 m tall and with a bole up to 50 cm in diameter, but usually much less. Slash turning deep red. Branchlets reddish-brown glandular. Leaves alternate and simple, more or less leathery, ovate to lanceolate, 5-16(-23) cm x 2-7(-9.5) cm, cuneate to rounded and with 2 glands at base, acute or acuminate at apex, entire, conspicuously 3-nerved, hairy and reddish glandular beneath; petiole 1-4(-10) cm long, puberulous and reddish-brown. Male flowers in terminal and axillary, 2-10(-16) cm long, solitary or fascicled paniculates spikes, each flower with numerous stamens, small; female flowers in spikes or slender racemes, each flower with a stellate-hairy, 3-celled ovary with 3 papillose stigmas. Fruit a depressed-globose, 3-lobed capsule, 5-7 mm x 8-10(-12) mm, stellate-puberulous and with abundant orange or reddish glandular granules, 3-seeded. Seeds subglobose and black, ca. 4 mm across.

In the Philippines M. philippensis flowers from March to April. M. philippensis has extrafloral nectaries attracting ants.

Kamala tree is common in evergreen forest, especially in secondary forest, and sometimes even dominant in the undergrowth. It also occurs in scrubby vegetations and on open rocky ground. In forests in India it is dominated by sal tree (Shorea robusta Gaertner f.); it is often gregarious and precedes the appearance of sal tree, for which it prepares a 'nursery' by killing off grasses. Kamala tree withstands considerable shade, it is frost-hardy and resistant to drought. M. philippensis has pioneers characteristic of secondary vegetation and may be gregarious elements in regenerated forest.

Kamala tree can fairly easily be propagated by seeds sown at the beginning of the rainy season in a nursery. As the germination rate is often poor (for example, because of drought and insect attack) it is advisable to sow close, about 5 cm apart, and to thin out later. Dried seeds can be stored in gunny bags or in tins in a dry place for about 6 months without losing viability. Seeds of M. philippensis germinate about 5% in 65-82 days.

Plantation: After one year seedlings are usually transplanted into the field. Row planting with field crops has proved successful. Trees also reproduce from root suckers. However, kamala tree is not cultivated on plantation scale at present. Husbandry: Loosening of soil and regular weeding are necessary for at least 2 years after sowing.

Diseases: Several fungi causing rot have been reported to attack kamala tree. Pests: The wood is susceptible to attack from insects, especially beetles, such as Monochamus bimaculatus, Xylotrechus smei, Agrilus malloti, Sinoxylon spp., Lyctus africanus, and Stromatium barbatum.

Other services: In India M. philippensis is considered to be a valuable nurse tree for more important forest tree species, e.g. sal (Shorea robusta Gaertn.f.).

Tannin or dyestuff: The granules which cover the ripe fruit are used in India as a dye ('kamala') for dyeing silk and wool bright orange. A red dye has been extracted from the roots. Food: Kamala also serves as a preservative for vegetable oils and dairy products. Kamala also recorded to be used as a dye for food-stuffs and beverages, which seems unlikely because it is generally known as a purgative. Medicine: In pharmacy kamala is used as anthelmintic and an extract of kamala in hexachlorethane may be useful in treating liver fluke in cattle. Kamala is also known to affect the fertility of animal and man. All parts of the tree can be applied externally to treat parasitic infections of the skin. The fruits and bark have been reported to be used medicinally to treat stomach ulcers and tapeworm. Lipids: The seeds yield kamala seed oil which can be used as a substitute for tung oil, obtained from Aleurites spp., in the production of rapid-drying paints and varnishes. The seed oil is also used as a fixative in cosmetic preparations. The oil is also used as a fixative in cosmetic preparations and for colouring foodstuffs and beverages. Timber: The wood is sometimes used as timber for implements. Fibre: The wood is suitable for paper pulp. The fibrous bark is used to make rope and artificial fur. Fuel: The wood is often used as fuelwood. Fodder: The leaves are used as fodder.