Heritiera trifoliolata (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Heritiera trifoliolata (F. v. Mueller) Kosterm.

Protologue: Penerb. Madj. Ilmu Peng. Indon. 1: 65 (1959). Also in: Reinwardtia 4: 528 (1959).

Synonyms

• Tarrietia argyrodendron Benth. (1863) p.p.,
• Tarrietia trifoliolata F. v. Mueller (1875).

Vernacular names

• Crowfoot elm, common stave wood (En)
• Indonesia: rumo (Sulawesi).

Distribution

Eastern Malesia (from Sulawesi to New Guinea) and tropical Australia.

Uses

The timber may be used as a substitute for European beech ( Fagus sylvatica L.).

Observations

• A medium-sized tree, up to 30 m tall with bole up to 18 m long and 100 cm in diameter, buttressed.
• Leaves (1-)3-5-foliolate, densely coppery or silvery scaly beneath, petioles 2-7 cm long, slender.
• Panicles lax, up to 15 cm long.
• Fruit with very large wing, coppery scaly.

H. trifoliolata grows in primary forests up to 2000 m altitude, sometimes along rivers. The species is widespread, but apparently not common, except in Australia. The wood is pale, close-grained, tough and firm.

Selected sources

378, 735.

Main genus page

• Heritiera

Authors

• R.H.M.J. Lemmens (selection of species)