Chittagong wood

Chukrasia tabularis (Chittagong wood) is a large tree, deciduous in the dry season, 20–30 m tall (sometimes to 40 m), with a straight, round trunk, small buttresses and grey-brown, lengthwise-fissured bark. The pinnate leaves are 30–50 cm long with 6–12 pairs of ovate, entire leaflets; young leaves are often reddish and finely hairy. The small cream-white flowers are borne in axillary clusters and open as the new leaves flush. The fruit is an ovoid capsule 3–4 cm long that splits open when ripe to release many flat seeds with thin wings that aid wind dispersal.

Updated by lebachungtdh@gmail.com · 10/09/2026

Chukrasia tabularis ranges from South Asia (India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka) through southern China to most of South-East Asia, including Vietnam. It grows in seasonal tropical forest, secondary forest and along streams, on deep, moist, well-drained soils from the lowlands up to about 1,000 m. In Vietnam it is a prized timber species, planted in plantations and scattered on farmland, and included in many large-timber planting programmes.

Updated by lebachungtdh@gmail.com · 10/09/2026

Chukrasia wood is pale yellow to golden brown, lustrous, with a fine, even texture; it works and carves easily, warps little and is durable — it ranks among the prized timbers. It consists mainly of cellulose with lignin, hemicellulose and extractives. The bark and seeds are distinctly bitter owing to limonoids (chukrasin, chuktabularin) and triterpenoids — a group studied for antibacterial, antifeedant and mildly insecticidal activity. Chukrasia is thus both a valuable timber tree and a notable source of natural compounds.

Updated by lebachungtdh@gmail.com · 10/09/2026

Chukrasia yields prized timber for high-grade furniture, veneer, flooring, musical instruments, handicrafts and interior carving. The tree is planted in plantations for timber and scattered as a shade and street tree. In traditional medicine the bitter bark and seeds are used to a limited extent for fever, diarrhoea and parasites, and modern studies report antibacterial, antioxidant and insecticidal activity in seed and bark extracts. The bark also yields tannin and fibre.

Updated by lebachungtdh@gmail.com · 10/09/2026

Chukrasia tabularis is listed as Least Concern (LC) by IUCN owing to its wide range, but because the timber is prized it is heavily logged in many places; in Vietnam priority should be given to plantations to reduce pressure on natural forest. As for safety, its parts are not a food; the bark and seeds are bitter and contain limonoids, so they should not be eaten and should be used as medicine only under professional guidance. Wood dust from sawing can irritate the respiratory tract and skin, so protection is advisable when working it.

Updated by lebachungtdh@gmail.com · 10/09/2026