Canarium sumatranum (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Canarium sumatranum Boerl. & Koord.

Protologue: Koord.-Schum., Syst. Verz. 2: 25 (1910).

Vernacular names

• Indonesia: damar lang (Palembang, Sumatra), benemil (eastern central Sumatra), anglip batu (Simeuluë)
• Malaysia: kedondong (Peninsular).

Distribution

Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra.

Uses

The wood is used as kedondong. The resin is used for torches.

Observations

• A large tree up to 50 m tall, bole straight, branchless for up to 21 m, up to 120 cm in diameter, bark surface smooth to roughly scaly, greyish-yellow to green, inner bark exuding a resin turning black, bole and branches thorny when young.
• Stipules absent or early caducous, inserted at the base of the petiole, narrow; leaves with 7-11 pairs of leaflets, often lacking a terminal leaflet, leaflets distinctly to gradually acuminate at apex, margin entire, glabrous, with 20-30 pairs of secondary veins which are visible on both surfaces.
• Inflorescence axillary, laxly paniculate.
• Male flowers 8-9 mm long, female ones 6 mm long, stamens 6.
• Fruit ovoid, rounded triangular in cross-section, 15 mm × 10 mm, glabrous.

C. sumatranum is found scattered in primary and secondary lowland and hill forest, up to 500 m altitude. The density of the sapwood is 370-650 kg/m³ at 15% moisture content.

Selected sources

9, 162, 342, 366, 474, 705.

Authors

• M.S.M. Sosef (selection of species)

Main genus page

• Canarium