Mallotus philippinensis, Muell,
(Syn. Rottlera tinctoria)
Family : Euphorbiaceae
 
Telugu Name : Senduri, Kumkuma

General :

Sparingly found in Telangana area and the North Coastal Districts. It is identified by red-dotted glands on the backside of the leaf and red glands on the surface of the capsules. It is a good soil improver. It is sensitive to drought. It coppices well and produces root suckers.

Flowering :

Small flowers of brick red colour in terminal spikes appear in November to January.

Fruiting :
Fruits ripen from February to May.
Morphology of the Fruit / Seed :
Capsules 3-coccus, loculicidally 3 valved, 1.5 to 2 cms in diameter, densely covered with a scarlet powder. The seeds are minute, globose, black, smooth with a moderately thick brittle testa.
Seed Collection and Storage :
Fruits are collected in April and washed to clean the resin and dried in the sun. Then fruits are beaten to separate the seeds. Seeds have short viability.
Seed Biology :
No. of seeds per Kg.
Germination percentage
Plant percent
No. of seedlings per Kg. of seed
25,000
20
30
7000
Pretreatment :
Not required.
Nursery Technique :

Seeds are put in raised primary bed in April and a cover of hay is given over the bed. Shade and moisture are necessary in the early stages. Germination starts in 3 weeks time and continues for sometime. After a month, seedlings are transplanted to bigger bags and 15 months old seedlings are planted out. It grows slowly in the nursery.