Calophyllum biflorum (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Calophyllum biflorum M.R. Henderson & Wyatt-Smith

Protologue: Gard. Bull. Sing. 15: 349 (1956).

Distribution

Southern Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore and Borneo.

Uses

The timber is used as bintangor, e.g. to make planks.

Observations

• A medium-sized to fairly large tree up to 36 m tall, with bole up to 95 cm in diameter, without buttresses; twigs more or less 4-angled or rounded, terminal bud plump to conical, 2.5-10 mm long.
• Leaves oblong to subelliptical or obovate, 3.5-12.5 cm long, cuneate at base, retuse to rounded at apex, with 7-15(-18) veins per 5 mm.
• Inflorescences axillary, branched or not, 5-21-flowered; flowers with 4 tepals.
• Fruit ellipsoid, spherical or ovoid, 11-23 mm long, with thick, compact outer layer, pale green.

C. biflorum is a variable species, especially in Borneo, and is closely related to C. ferrugineum. It is usually found in well-drained mixed dipterocarp forest up to 1100(-1400) m altitude.

Selected sources

1, 33, 648, 779.

Main genus page

• Calophyllum

Authors

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