Calophyllum vexans (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Calophyllum vexans P.F. Stevens

Protologue: Austr. Journ. Bot. 22: 407 (1974).

Vernacular names

• Solomon Islands: kaumanu.

Distribution

The Moluccas (Seram), New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago, Bougainville and the Solomon Islands.

Uses

The timber is traded as "calophyllum" in Papua New Guinea. The wood is good for veneer, hardboard and paper.

Observations

• A fairly large, possibly dioecious tree up to 35 m tall with bole up to 60 cm in diameter, sometimes with buttresses or stilt roots; twigs 4-angled, terminal bud strongly flattened to conical, (4-)6-12 mm long.
• Leaves elliptical, trapeziform, oblong, subovate or subobovate, 3.5-12.5 cm long, usually cuneate at base, acute at apex, with (6-)8-11(-16) veins per 5 mm.
• Inflorescences usually axillary, unbranched, 3-5-flowered; flowers with 4-8 tepals.
• Fruit spherical to ovoid-ellipsoid, 18-27 mm long, with fairly thick, compact outer layer, greenish.

C. vexans usually occurs in well-drained or sometimes swampy forest up to 900(-1450) m altitude.

Selected sources

648.

Main genus page

• Calophyllum

Authors

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