ປໍສາ
Paper Mulberry
Broussonetia papyrifera (L.) L'Hér. ex Vent.
Plants
Woody plants
Trees and palms
Broussonetia kazi Siebold ex Blume
Broussonetia maculata Steud.
Broussonetia nana Bureau
Broussonetia navicularis Lodd. ex Bureau
Ecology
Annamite Highlands and Xieng Khuang Plateau
North Laos Highlands
Use
Tools and utensils
Farming activities
Medicine
Po Sa bark has for centuries been used locally to make paper and clothing. Japanese washi paper is made from a similar Broussonetia spp, which is also made into wedding suits. In Laos a range of souvenir items are produced locally while the bark and fibres are exported. In Xieng Khouang paper altars and umbrellas are made and used in religious ceremonies. In Luang Phabang the ash from burned stems is used for bleaching pulp during handmade paper making, and wastewater from this process is later used as fertilizer. The leaves provide good fodder for pigs and cattle while seeds contain an oil used in Vietnam for soap, wax and lacquer production. Locally the invigorating and edible fruit, the leaves, bark and roots are used in medicines to treat dysentery. Kidney problems can be treated with a mix of roots, boiled rice and black sugarcane. The wood is used for firewood and to cultivate mushrooms (Het Hou Nou or Auricularia spp.).
Nutrition
Nutrient | /100g | Remark |
---|---|---|
Proteins | N/A | N/A |
Carbohydrates | N/A | N/A |
Fats | N/A | N/A |
Vitamins | N/A | N/A |
Minerals | N/A | N/A |
Fibers | N/A | N/A |
References
Hussain, K., Shahazad, A. and Hussnain, S. 2008. An Ethnobotanical Survey of Important Wild Medicinal Plants of Hattar District Haripur, Pakistan. Ethnobotanical Leaflets 12: 29-35.
Eric C. Morgan and William A. Overholt. 2004. Wild land Weeds: Paper Mulberry, Broussonetia papyrifera. ENY-702. Entomology and Nematology. Florida Cooperative Extension Service. University of Florida IFAS.