Dryobalanops oblongifolia (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Dryobalanops oblongifolia Dyer

Protologue: Journ. Bot. 12: 100 (1874).

Vernacular names

• Indonesia: kapur guras, petanang (Sumatra)
• Malaysia: keladan, kapur paya (Peninsular), kelansau (Sarawak).

Distribution

Eastern Peninsular Malaysia, eastern Sumatra and Borneo (Sarawak, East Kalimantan).

Uses

The timber is used as kapur similar to that of D. sumatrensis, although the wood is sometimes regarded as slightly inferior. The fruit (nut) is edible.

Observations

• A large to very large tree, up to 55 m tall, with a straight bole free of branches for 20 m or more, having a diameter of up to 150 cm, and large buttresses; bark purplish-grey or light red-brown, slash aromatic and without dammar.
• Leaves narrowly oblong, 6-20 cm × 2-5(-6.5) cm, with an up to 15 mm long acumen, glabrous.
• Fruit calyx lobes shorter than nut, up to 0.5 cm × 0.7 cm, bordering an up to 15 mm deep and 15 mm wide incrassate cup.

Two subspecies are distinguished: subsp. oblongifolia from Borneo, and subsp. occidentalis P. Ashton from Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra, the latter differing in smaller leaves, less deep fruit calyx tube and striate but otherwise smooth nut (lenticellate in subsp. oblongifolia).

D. oblongifolia occurs in low-lying, periodically inundated or poorly drained forest, and on hillsides below 600 m altitude. The density of the wood varies from 600-930 kg/m³ at 15% moisture content. See also the table on wood properties.

Selected sources

89, 102, 297, 417, 561, 664, 677, 679, 748.

Main genus page

• Dryobalanops

Authors

• M.S.M. Sosef (selection of species)