Aleurites moluccanus (L.) Willd.

Kemiri or candlenut (Aleurites moluccanus) is a tree up to 30 meters tall of the Euphorbiaceae family, originating from Maluku and spreading to India and China, now the official state tree of Hawaii. Its seeds are an essential cooking spice in Nusantara dishes as well as a source of hair-growth oil and candle material. Traditionally, kemiri is also believed to relieve canker sores, toothache, and cough.

This plant is commonly found in tropical rainforest climate regions up to elevations of 1,200 m above sea level, temperature 19–27 °C and somewhat dry conditions during the dry season. Grows well near rivers with moist soil, annual rainfall ranging 640-4,290 mm/year.

• Stem grayish-brown, somewhat smooth texture with beautiful vertical lines.
• Leaves single, alternating, dark green, oblong egg-shaped or triangular (when young), heart-shaped base, palmate venation only at first, wavy leaf edges.
• Flowers bisexual, greenish-white, fragrant, white petals.
• Fruit somewhat flattened egg-shaped, green with velvety hairs, whitish flesh.
• Seeds rough-skinned, black, hard and thick-shelled, 2 or 1 per fruit.

• Propagated generatively (by seed) and vegetatively (air-layering, top-grafting, budding).
• Seeds are soaked for 15 days first then sown. Sprouts appear after 2 months.

Oleic acid, linoleic acid, saponin, flavonoids (2-O-rhamnosylswertisin, swertisin), polyphenols, spruceanol, 3-acetyl aleuritolic acid, triglycerides, β-sitosterol, 12-hydroxy-13methoxy-8,11,13-podocarpatrien-3-one.

Promotes hair growth, canker sore remedy, toothache, cough, diarrhea, tumor remedy, constipation, headache remedy, fever, boils, joint swelling, and gonorrhea.

• Select fresh, healthy leaves then wash thoroughly with running water. Cut into small pieces then dry.
• Grind the dried material into powder.
• Sift and store in a clean, closed container.

Kembiri, Gambiri, Hambiri (Batak), Kemili (Gayo), Kemiling (Lampung), Buah kareh (Nias), Kumbe (Belitung), Miri, Pidekan, Miri (Java), Muncang (Sunda), Tenu (Nusa Tenggara), Kumiri (Maluku), Berau (Sulawesi).