Beilschmiedia lucidula (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Beilschmiedia lucidula (Miq.) Kosterm.

Protologue: Reinwardtia 8: 23 (1970).

Synonyms

Cryptocarya lucidula Miq. (1858), Beilschmiedia praecox Koord. & Valeton (1904), Beilschmiedia nervosa (Elmer) Merr. (1915), Beilschmiedia assamica auct. non Meissn.

Vernacular names

• Indonesia: brabas (Java)
• Philippines: bagaoring (Samar-Leyte Bisaya), ilak (Bagobo), lalanig (Subanun).

Distribution

Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo, the Philippines and the extreme east of Java.

Uses

The wood is used as medang.

Observations

A medium-sized tree up to 21 m tall, bole up to 65 cm in diameter, bark surface smooth with scattered lenticels, greenish-grey; leaves opposite, 5.5-18 cm × 3.5-8.5 cm, glabrous, midrib raised above and below, tertiary venation distinct on both surfaces, petiole 0.5-1.8 cm long; flowers glabrous or hairy inside; fruit obovate to ellipsoid, 2-2.5 cm × 1-1.5 cm. B. lucidula was formerly thought to be identical to B. assamica Meissn. from India and mainland South-East Asia, but this proved to be incorrect. It occurs in primary lowland forest on periodicallydry soil, volcanic sands and in swamps, up to 1200 m altitude. The density of the wood is 555-685 kg/m³at 15% moisture content.

Selected sources

35, 77, 140, 303, 316, 322, 419, 421, 426, 474, 527, 705.