Dillenia philippinensis (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Dillenia philippinensis Rolfe

Protologue: Journ. Linn. Soc. Bot. 21: 307 (1884).

Synonyms

Dillenia catmon Elmer (1915).

Vernacular names

• Philippines: katmon (general), katmon-buhukan (general, for var. pubifolia ).

Distribution

Throughout the Philippines.

Uses

The timber is used in house building, e.g. for light construction, framing and flooring and for furniture and cabinet making. The fruits are edible and eaten fresh or in sauces or jellies; they are also used medicinally against coughs and for cleansing the hair. A red dye can be obtained from the bark.

Observations

A small to medium-sized evergreen tree up to 17 m tall, usually with short bole up to 60 cm in diameter, bark surface peeling off in thin irregular plates, reddish-brown to dark brown; leaves ovate, elliptical, oblong to lanceolate, (6.5-)10-16(-27) cm × (5-)7-12(-17) cm, margin undulate to dentate, petiole up to 5 cm long, with 3-12 mm broad wings completely caducous; flowers 10-15 cm in diameter, sepals 5, petals white, stamens in 2 distinct groups, the inner ones larger, anthers obtusely acuminate at apex, opening by pores; fruit indehiscent; seed at base enclosed by aril. Var. pubifolia Merr. is more hairy than var. philippinensis and occurs in Luzon and Mindanao. D. philippinensis occurs in primary and secondary forest at low and mediumaltitudes, rarely up to 2000 m. The heartwood is reddish-brown with a purplish cast, in the centre sometimes almost black; the density is about 750 kg/m³at 15% moisture content. See also the table on wood properties.

Selected sources

68, 125, 162, 243, 414, 426, 526, 527, 626, 690.