Hopea mengerawan Miq., Sum.
(1860)
Named after the local name for this species.
Synonyms
Hancea mengerawan Pierre
Diagnostica
Upper canopy tree up to 44 m tall and 103 cm dbh. Stem with resin. Stipules small, dropped early. Leaves
alternate, simple, penni-veined, inconspicuous secondary veins placed close together. Flowers ca. 5 mm in
diameter, white-yellowish, placed in panicles. Fruits ca. 10 mm long, green-red, with two ca. 70 mm long wings,
wind dispersed.
Description
Tall buttressed tree with dark fissured bark. Twigs, petiole and leaf beneath caducous lepidote, parts otherwise
glabrous. Twig c. 2 mm apically, slender; stipule scars short, pale. Leaf bud to 2 by 1 mm, ovoid. Stipule
fugaceous. Leaf 6-12 by 2.5-5 cm, lanceolate, thickly coriaceous; base cuneate; acumen to 1.5 cm long, slender
but evident beneath, with many short to subequal secondaries; midrib stout, prominent, on both surfaces;
petiole 9-11 mm long, relatively short. Panicle to 3 cm long, terminal or axillary, terete, singly branched;
branchlets bearing to 6 secund flowers; bracteoles c. 2 mm long, acicular, fugaceous. Flower pale yellow; bud to
3 by 2 mm. ovoid. Calyx lobes ovate, the 2 outer narrower, more coriaceous than the frequently suborbicular 3
inner. Petals sericeous on parts exposed in bud; stamens 15, in 3 unequal verticils; filaments compressed at
base, tapering and filiform below the subglobose anthers; appendage to connective slender, 2-3 times length of
anther. Ovary ovoid, glabrous; style c. 2 times length of ovary, villous in the basal 5. Fruit pedicel to 2 mm long,
slender. 2 longer calyx lobes to 7 by 1.2 cm, narrowly spatulate, narrowly obtuse, c. 3 mm broad above the to 7
by 4 mm narrowly ovate saccate thickened base; 3 shorter lobes to 6 by 5 mm, ovate, acute, saccate. Nut to 10
by 5 mm, narrowly ovoid; style remnant slender. [from Flora Malesiana]
Ecology
In undisturbed mixed dipterocarp forests up to 500 m altitude. Usually on ridges and hillsides with poor sandy to
clayey soils, also on ultrabasic.
Uses
The resin and timber are used. The resin was considered one of the best varieties in Sumatra and Malaya.
Distribution
Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo.
Local names
Borneo: Bankirai telor, Bangkirai tembaga, Emang, Emang Jangkar, Luis, Njerakat, Selangan.
Malaysia: Merawan penak, Merawan hitam, Pengerawan, Pengerawan penak.
Sumatra: Merawan banglai, Chengal, Chengal bulu.
General Information
Hopea mengarawan is a medium-sized to large tree of up to 40 - 60 metres tall. Its prominently buttressed bole,
which is around 1 metre in diameter, is branchless for up to 25 metres, and sometimes even more.
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use of its resin and good quality wood.
The wood is a source of 'merawan' timber and is commonly harvested from the wild and traded.
The tree is classified as 'Critically Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2010).
Range
Southeast Asia - Malaysia, Indonesia.
Habitat
An upper canopy tree in forests, where it occurs locally, scattered or sometimes gregariously on low-lying, often
swampy or periodically inundated land and also on low hills up to elevations of 500 metres.
Shorea lamellata Foxw., Mal. For. Rec. 10 (1932)
Latin for 'with scales'.
Diagnostics
Emergent trees up to 56 m tall and 129 cm dbh. Stems with resin. Stipules small. Leaves alternate, simple,
penni-veined, petiole and lower surface with scales, feeling like sand-paper, secondary veins close together.
Flowers ca. 16 mm in diameter, white-yellow, placed in panicles. Fruits ca. 10 mm long, green, with three ca. 56
mm long wings, wind dispersed.
Description
Large tree. Twig, leaf buds, stipule outside, panicles, calyx, parts of petals exposed in bud, ovary and nut
unevenly scabrid; becoming sparse, scabrous, on fruit calyx, stipule within, petiole and leaf nervation beneath.
Twig 2-3 mm diameter apically, terete, becoming smooth. Leaf bud to 7 by 4 mm, ovoid-falcate, acute. Leaves
(6.5-)10-15 by (3.5-)4-8 cm, elliptic-oblong to ovate, occasionally obovate, +/- thinly coriaceous; base obtuse to
shallowly caudate; acumen to 7 mm long, short, +/- abrupt; nerves 19-25 pairs, very slender but +/- prominent
beneath, applanate above, arched, at 65 -70 degrees; tertiary nerves densely scalariform, very slender but
evident and slightly elevated beneath; midrib slender but prominent beneath, obscure and depressed above;
petiole 16-22 mm long, slender. Panicle to 14 cm long, slender, terminal or axillary, lax; singly branched,
branchlets to 4 cm long, bearing to 3 secund flowers. Flower buds to 10 by 5 mm, ellipsoid; sepals narrowly
ovoid, acuminate, somewhat unequal; petals white; stamens 15, shorter than style at anthesis; filaments very
long and slender, with scabrous apices, 2 times length of anthers. Ovary small, ovoid, puberulent, tapering
imperceptibly into a tapering puberulent stylopodium twice its length and long filiform glabrous style thrice its
length. Fruit pedicel c. 2 mm long and diameter, base of fruit obtuse, 3 longer calyx lobes to 18 by 1.5 cm,
spatulate, obtuse, c. 7 mm broad above the 11 by 10 mm elliptic saccate thickened base; 2 shorter lobes to 7 by
0.5 cm, lorate, subacute, similar at base. Nut to 14 by 10 mm, ovoid, prominently apiculate. [from Flora
Malesiana]
Ecology
In undisturbed mixed dipterocarp forests up to ca. 650 m altitude. Found on alluvial as well as dry sites (hillside
and ridges) on sandy to clayey soils, also on limestone.
Uses
The timber is used.
Distribution
Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo.
Local names
Borneo: Buniau, Kebaong, Damar mata kuching, Pakit, Tunam, Tunen.
Malaysia: Meranti lapis.
General Information
Shorea lamellata is a tree with a dense, hemispherical crown; it can grow up to 56 metres tall. The straight,
cylindrical bole can be up to 175cm in diameter with stout buttresses up to 3 metres high.
The tree is a source of the timber 'White Meranti'. It is commonly harvested from the wild and traded
internationally.
The plant is classified as 'Critically Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013).
Range
Southeast Asia - Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia.
Habitat
An emergent tree in undisturbed mixed dipterocarp forests at elevations up to about 500 metres. Found on
alluvial as well as dry sites (hillside and ridges) on sandy to clayey soils, also on limestone.
Shorea johorensis Foxw., Mal. For. Rec. 10 (1932)
Named after a Malaysian province where the species occurs.
Synonyms
Shorea leptoclados Sym.
Diagnostics
Emergent tree up to 58 m tall and 127 cm dbh. Stem with resin. Stipules up to ca. 3.5 mm long. Leaves
alternate, simple, penni-veined, rather long petiole, glabrous. Flowers ca. 16 mm in diameter, white-yellow,
placed in panicles. Fruits ca. 14 mm long, green-pink-red, with three ca. 90 mm long wings, wind dispersed.
Description
Large buttressed tree. Twig, panicle, leaf bud, stipule, petiole, nersation beneath and midrib above shortly
evenly persistently grey-buff pubescent; young leaf caducously so. Twig 2-3 mm diameter apically, much
branched, slightly ribbed and compressed when young, becoming terete, drying glabrous, smooth; stipule scars
1.5-2 mm long, pale, falcate, descending. Bud 6-8 by 2-3 mm, ovoid, compressed. Stipule to 3.5 by 0.7 mm, +/-
caducous, lanceolate, acute, constricted at base. Leaves 9-14 by 4.2-7.5 cm, chartaceous to thinly coriaceous,
ovate; base obtuse to subcordate; acumen to 7 mm long; nerves 10-12 slender but prominent pairs, at 90
degree at base, c. 40-50 degrees towards apex; first 3-6 pairs usually with prominent scale-like domatia, the
basal two pairs of which fused along the midrib on each side; tertiary nerves very slender, densely scalariform.
sinuate, diagonal to nerves; petiole slender, 1.5-2 cm long. Panicle to 15 cm long, terminal or axillary, terete or
slightly compressed, slender; regularly singly or doubly branched, branchlets long, lax, bearing to 18 secund
flowers; bracts to 7 mm long, narrowly ovate, obtuse, pubescent on both surfaces, fugaceous. Flower bud to 8
by 3.5 mm, ovoid to lanceolate, acute. Calyx densely pale grey pubescent outside, glabrous within; lobes
subequal. acute, slightly revolute towards the apices. Petals pale yellow, narrowly lanceolate, obtuse, densely
pubescent on parts exposed in bud. Stamens 15, the 5 innermost only slightly longest; filaments expanded at
base, abruptly narrowing and filiform distally; anthers oblong, somewhat tapering; appendage to connective c. 3
times length of anther, reaching 0.7 length of style, glabrous. Ovary globose, shortly densely pubescent in apical
half, stylopodium indistinct; style over twice as long as ovary, filiform, glabrous but for base. Fruit calyx shortly
pubescent towards base, glabrescent: 3 longer lobes to 12 by 2.3 cm, subequal, spatulate, narrowly obtuse, c. 6
mm broad above the to 1.4 by 1.2 cm deltoid saccate thickened base; 2 shorter lobes to 6.5 by 0.6 cm, unequal,
linear but similar at base. Nut to 2 by 1.4 cm, broadly ovoid, densely shortly pale buff tomentose; style remnant
short. [from Flora Malesiana]
Ecology
In undisturbed mixed dipterocarp forests up to 600 m altitude. Usually found on riversides with clayey to sandy
fertile and well drained soils.
Uses
The timber is used.
Distribution
Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo.
Local names
Borneo: Kenbewar, Kenuar, Longko, Majau, Merampu, Meranti merah, Meranti tanduk, Palapak, Selangan
pelandok, Seraya majau.
Malaysia: Meranti pepijat.
Sumatra: Merukuyong.
General Information
Shorea johorensis is a tree with a large, hemispherical crown; it can grow up to 58 metres tall. The straight,
cylindrical bole is up to 160cm in diameter with stout, prominent buttresses up to 3 metres high.
The tree produces a high-grade light red meranti timber and is also a source of dammar resin. It is commonly
exploited from the wild for its wood and has become a priority plantation tree in Indonesia.
The plant is classified as 'Critically Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)
Habitat
An emergent tree in undisturbed mixed dipterocarp forests at elevations up to 300 metres. Usually found on
riversides with clayey to sandy soils.
Shorea gibbosa Brandis, J. Linn. Soc. Bot. 31 (1895)
Latin for 'humped'.
Synonyms
Hopea grisea Brandis
Diagnostics
Emergent tree up to 58 m tall and 110 cm dbh. Stem with resin. Stipules up to ca. 3 mm long. Leaves alternate,
simple, penni-veined, glabrous. Flowers ca. 11 mm in diameter, white-red, placed in panicles. Fruits ca. 16 mm
long, green-red-brown, with three ca. 49 mm long wings, wind dispersed.
Description
Very tall, buttressed tree. Twig, bud, petiole and stipule persistently shortly evenly pale rufous pubescent, leaf
nervation beneath sparsely so, glabrescent. Twig c. 1 mm apically, slender, much branched, at first frequently
rugulose. Stipules to 3 by 1 mm, narrow ly elliptic, acute, fugaceous. Leaves pink when opening, 5-13 by 2-6 cm,
ovate, chartaceous, undulate; base broadly cuneate to obtuse; acumen to 1.5 cm long; nerves 7-9 pairs, slender
but prominent beneath, at 50-65 degrees; tertiary nerves subreticulate; midrib somewhat depressed above,
prominent beneath; petiole 8-12(-16) mm long, short. Panicle to 10 cm long, terminal or axillary, terete, densely
persistently buff to pale rufous pubescent; singly branched, branchlets to 2 cm long, bearing to 6+ distichous
flowers; bracteoles to 2 by 1 mm, oblong, obtuse, shortly pubescent, fugaceous. Bud to 5 by 3 mm, lanceolate.
Sepals ovate, shortly densely pubescent on parts exposed in bud; outer 3 acute, inner 2 shortly acuminate,
relatively broader, shorter, thinner at the margin. Petals cream with a pink base, narrowly oblong, strongly
contorted, sericeous on parts exposed in bud. Stamens 15, in 3 unequal verticils, the longest reaching the style
apex; filaments compressed and gibbous at base, tapering and filiform below the small broadly ellipsoid anthers;
appendage to connective somewhat longer than anther, slender, glabrous. Ovary ovoid, densely pubescent;
style columnar, pubescent in the basal 4, otherwise glabrous. Fruit pedicel to 2 mm long, slender. Calyx shortly
sparsely pubescent; 3 longer lobes to 9 by 2 cm, spatulate, obtuse, c. 4 mm broad above the to 10 by 6 mm
ovate saccate thickened tuberculate base; 2 shorter lobes to 6 by 0.5 cm, narrowly spatulate, acute, similar at
base. Nut to 1.8 by 1.2 cm, narrowly ellipsoid, densely buff pubescent, acute. [from Flora Malesiana]
Ecology
In undisturbed mixed dipterocarp forests up to 800 m altitude. On alluvial to dry sites, usually on clay soils.
Locally common on deep fertile clay-rich soils, on undulating land and low hills.
Uses
The timber is used.
Distribution
Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo.
Local names in Borneo
Borneo: Awang pakit, Damar tenkuyung, Damar ketuyung, Gimma, Kenuar, kelepeh, Ladan, Lempong kuning,
Lun, Lun gajah, Lun kuning, Madilan, Merakunyit, Meranti kuning, Selangan batu, Seraya kuning, Seraya kuning
gajah.
General Information
Shorea gibbosa is a tree with a vast, somewhat diffuse, cauliflower-shaped crown; it can grow up to 70 metres
tall. The straight, cylindrical bole can be up to 200cm in diameter with stout, spreading buttresses up to 5
metres high.
The tree is a source of the timber 'Yellow Meranti' and is commonly harvested from the wild for commercial
use.
The plant is classified as 'Critically Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013).
Range
Southeast Asia - Malaysia, Indonesia.
Habitat
An emergent tree in undisturbed mixed dipterocarp forests at elevations up to 800 metres. Found on alluvial to
dry sites, usually on clay soils.
Shorea smithiana Sym., Gard. Bull. S. S. 9 (1938)
Named after ?
Diagnostics
Emergent tree up to 66 m tall and 164 cm dbh. Stem with resin. Stipules ca. 20 mm long. Leaves alternate,
simple, penni-veined, with scales on petiole and lower surface, feeling like sand paper. Flowers ca. 26 mm in
diameter, reddish, placed in panicles. Fruits ca. 21 mm long, green-brown, with three ca. 145 mm long wings,
wind dispersed.
Description
Large buttressed tree. Young twig, leaf bud, stipule outside (puberulent within), petiole, leaf beneath, midrib
above and panicle persistently grey-brown to rust scabrid tomentose, leaf above caducous puberulent. Twig 3-4
mm apically, stout, ribbed, smooth, glabrous; stipule scars to 2 mm long at first, broad, falcate, descending. Bud
5-8 by 3-4.5 mm, ovoid, slightly compressed. Stipule to 20 by 6 mm, broadly hastate, subacute. Leaves 12-20 by
6.5-11.5 cm, broadly obovate to oblong or ovate, grey lepidote beneath, coriaceous; base obtuse or subcordate;
acumen to 1.5 cm long, broad; nerves 14-17 pairs, beneath, curved, at 50-60 degrees distally, more spreading at
base; tertiary nerves scalariform, well spaced, sinuate; midrib prominent, stout, rounded, beneath, rather
narrow and slightly depressed above; petiole 2.2-2.8 cm long, stout. Panicle to 25 cm long. terminal or axillary,
terete, regularly singly branched. the branchlets bearing to 7 secund flowers; bracteoles to 5 by 4 mm, ovate,
subacute, shortly pubescent on both surfaces, falling before the corolla opens. Flower bud to 10 by 3 mm,
narrowly ovoid, subacute. Calyx densely pubescent outside, glabrescent within; lobes broadly deltoid to ovate,
acute, subequal, the 2 inner the narrower. Petals pink, narrowly oblong, short, densely yellowish brown
pubescent on parts exposed in bud. Stamens 22-26, of 3 sizes; filaments basally expanded, abruptly tapering
and filiform distally; anthers broadly oblong; appendage to connective almost twice as long as anthers, reaching
to 0.75 length of ovary and style, not reflexed. Ovary and stylopodium narrowly pyriform, puberulent; style
cylindrical, glaprominent brous. Fruit calyx glabrescent; 3 longer lobes to 20 by 2.8 cm, narrowly spatulate,
coriaceous, narrowly obtuse, c. 1.3 cm broad and often slightly revolute above the to 1.5 by 1.8 cm broadly
ovate shallowly saccate thickened base; 2 shorter lobes to 1 3 by 0.9 cm, linear, similarly expanded at base. Nut
to 2.7 by 1.8 cm, ovoid; style remnant to 3.5 mm long, tapering, densely evenly shortly pale cream-buff
pubescent. [from Flora Malesiana]
Ecology
In undisturbed mixed dipterocarp forests up to 400 m altitude. Mostly on ridges and hillsides with sandy soils.
Frequent on deep sandy clay soils on undulating land.
Uses
The timber is used. The bark sometimes used as floor cover.
Distribution
Borneo.
Local names
Borneo: Awang, Berat, Chempaga, Engkabang, Lempong merembong, Lempong tembaga, Mahambung, Meraka
belong, Meranti rambai, Rambai, Seraya merah, Seraya timbau, Tengkawang rambai.
General Information
Shorea smithiana is a tree with a large, dense, hemispherical crown; it can grow up to 66 metres tall. The tall,
straight, cylindrical bole can be up to 164cm in diameter with stout buttresses up to 2 metres high and
outwards.
This species is one of the main sources of light red meranti timber in Borneo, and is commonly harvested from
the wild for international trade.
The tree is threatened by the current rates of exploitation. The plant is classified as 'Critically Endangered' in the
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013).
Range
Southeast Asia - endemic to Borneo, in Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia.
Habitat
An emergent tree in undisturbed mixed dipterocarp forests at elevations up to 400 metres. Mostly found on
ridges and hillsides with deep, well-drained sandy-clay soils.
Vatica venulosa Bl., Mus. Bot. Lugd. Bat. 2 (1852)
Latin for 'with fine venation'.
Synonyms
Dryobalanops schefferi Hance
Retinodendron bancanum King
Retinodendron kunstleri King
Vatica bancana Scheff.
Vatica kunstleri Brandis
Vatica lutea Ridl.
Vatica schefferi Brandis
Vatica schouteniana Scheff.
Vatica simalurensis Sloot
Description
Mid-canopy tree up to 35 m tall and 102 cm dbh. Stem with resin. Stipules ca. 5 mm long.
Leaves alternate, simple, penni-veined, glabrous. Flower ca. 20 mm in diameter, yellow-red,
placed in panicles. Fruit ca. 10 mm long, green-brown, enclosed by five tough elongated
calyx lobes.
Ecology
In primary and secondary (logged) forests up to 100 m altitude. On alluvial sites with sandy
soils. In secondary forests usually present as a pre-disturbance remnant tree.
Uses
The timber is used.
Distribution
Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Borneo (Sarawak, Brunei, Sabah, West-, Central- and
East-Kalimantan).
Local names
Borneo: Rasak, Rasak saluang, Resak, Resak air, Resak kayu api, Resak letop.
Hopea nutans
General Information
Hopea nutans is a tree that can grow up to 30 metres tall. The bole is often gnarled and branching from low
down, it can be up to 70cm in diameter with short buttresses.
The tree is harvested from the wild for its resin and good quality timber, which are used locally whilst the
timber, known as 'giam', is also traded..
The tree is classified as 'Critically Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2010) .
Range
Southeast Asia - Malaysia, Indonesia.
Habitat
Lowland swampy forests. Periodically inundated sandy soils, near and on coastal hills.
