Botany
Malasulasi is a shrub or small tree growing to a height of about 5 meters. Leaves are linear-lanceolate, 0.8 to 3 centimeters long, and 2 to 6 millimeters wide; the apex is slightly pointed or blunt, and the base, pointed. Flowers are white and star-like, 1 centimeter wide, with very short stalks, if any. Fruit is about dark crimson, 5 to 7 millimeters in diameter.

Distribution
- Usually on exposed ridges in mossy forests at altitudes of 1,000 to 2,700 meters in Isabela, Ilocos Norte, Benguet, Nueva Ecija, Bataan, Batangas, and Quezon Provinces in Luzon; in Negros; and in Mindanao.
- Also occurs in Burma through Malaya to tropical Australia.

Constituents
- Leaves and twigs yield an essential oil containing d-pinene, b-pinene, sesquiterpene, aromadendrene and eudesmen, sesquiterpene alcohol, eudesmol, citral 0.25 to 0.75 %; terpineol, geraniol, and phenol leptospermol.
- Aqueous extract of leaves yielded the flavonoids aromadendrin glucoside, kaempferol rhamnoside, quercetin rhamnoside, and vindoline. (see study below) (2)
- Phytochemical analysis yielded quercetin, gallic acid and tannic acid. Crude water extract of leaves showed the highest total phenols. Hexane crude extract of leaves showed the highest total flavonoids. (2)
- An ethanol extract of L. polygalifolium subsp. polygalifolium yielded 2,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-7-methoxyflavanone and its isomer 2,5-dihydroxy-8-methyl-7-methoxyflavanone as principal components. (see study below) (5)

Properties
- Stomachic.
- Studies have suggested antimicrobial, antidiabetic, anticancer properties.

Parts used
Leaves, oil.

Uses
Edibility
- In Malaya, dried leaves use for making tea.
Folkloric
- Leaves used internally to stimulate the appetite and relive stomach discomfort.
- Leaves also used internally for dysmenorrhea.
- In the Moluccas, mountaineers distill a little volatile aromatic oil from the plant which is inhaled for bronchitis; also used as embrocation for rheumatism.

Studies
• Antidiabetic: Study evaluated various extracts of leaves and stems of Leptospermum flavescens for antidiabetic activity. An aqueous extract significantly inhibited glycogen phosphorylase. There was a significant decrease of fasting blood glucose of alloxan-induced diabetic rats. The antidiabetic activity correlated with the high total phenol content at 1.57 ± 0.01 GAE/g and total flavonoids at 1.41 ± 0.01 mgQE/g. The antidiabetic activity was attributed to the presenc3 of aromadendone glucoside, kaempferol rhamnoside, quercetin rhamnoside and vindolin in the aqueous extract. (2)
• Hydroxyflavanones / Antimicrobial: Study yielded 2-hydroxyflavanones 2,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-7-methoxyflavanone and its isomer 2,5-dihydroxy-8-methyl-7-methoxyflavanone as principal components, together with an equilibrating mixture of novel 2,3,5-trihydroxyflavanones. Study confirmed the presence of triketones, flavesone and leptospermone, along with closely related isoleptospermone as anti-microbial components. (see study above) (5)
• LF1 / Anticancer / Apoptosis in Human Lung Carcinoma Cells: Study investigated the ability of L. flavescens in inducing cell death in lung cancer cells. LF1, a semi-pure fraction, showed the greatest cytotoxic effect against two human non-small cell lung carcinoma cell lines (A549 and NCl-H1299) with IC50 values of 7.12 ±0.07 and 9.62 ± 0.50 µg/ml respectively. Findings suggest LF1 induces apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in treated lung cancer cells. (7)

Availability
Wild-crafted.
Seeds in the cybermarket.