Calophyllum pisiferum (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Calophyllum pisiferum Planchon & Triana

Protologue: Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot. 4, 15: 294 (1862).

Synonyms

• Calophyllum retusum auct. non Wallich ex Choisy.

Vernacular names

• Thailand: kathanghan bailek (Chanthaburi, Trat), paong (Suai, Surin).

Distribution

Burma, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Peninsular Malaysia, southern Sumatra, Bangka, Belitung and Borneo (Kalimantan, Sabah).

Uses

The timber is probably used as bintangor. A decoction of the bark is used in Cambodia to cure diarrhoea.

Observations

• A shrub to medium-sized tree up to 30 m tall with bole up to 60 cm in diameter, without buttresses but sometimes with knee roots; twigs sharply 4-angled, terminal bud plump, 2-4.5 mm long.
• Leaves ovate to oblong or (narrowly) elliptical, broadly rounded to narrowly cuneate at base, rounded to acute at apex, with 5-8(-11) veins per 5 mm.
• Inflorescences axillary, unbranched, 5-15-flowered; flowers with 4 tepals.
• Fruit spherical to ellipsoid, 6-9 mm long, with thin outer layer having air spaces under the skin, orange to light chestnut.

In Indo-China and northern Thailand C. pisiferum is often a shrub or small tree growing on rocky or sandy places near streams, in Malesia it is often a medium-sized tree growing in swampy or riverine forest below 50 m altitude. This species occurs scattered over its large area of distribution.

Selected sources

648, 779.

Main genus page

• Calophyllum

Authors

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