Calophyllum wallichianum (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Calophyllum wallichianum Planchon & Triana

Protologue: Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot. 4, 15: 277 (1862).

Vernacular names

• Malaysia: bintangor lilin (Peninsular).

Distribution

Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, the Riau Archipelago, Sumatra and northern Borneo (Sarawak, Sabah, East Kalimantan); possibly also in North Sulawesi.

Uses

The timber is used as bintangor.

Observations

• A medium-sized to fairly large tree up to 36 m tall with bole up to 160 cm in diameter, usually without buttresses; twigs obscurely to strongly 4-angled, terminal bud plump to conical, (12-)16-30 mm long.
• Leaves oblong to ovate, (5-)8-25(-32.5) cm long, rounded to cuneate at base, usually acute at apex, with (8-)10-17 veins per 5 mm.
• Inflorescences axillary, usually unbranched, 7-15(-19)-flowered; flowers with 4 tepals (rarely 6).
• Fruit ellipsoid, (ob)ovoid or spherical, 20-30(-35) mm long, with fairly thick, compact outer layer, orange or dull yellow-green.

Two varieties are distinguished: var. wallichianum occurs in north-western Peninsular Malaysia up to 900 m altitude, and var. incrassatum (M.R. Henderson & Wyatt-Smith) P.F. Stevens (synonym: C. incrassatum M.R. Henderson & Wyatt-Smith) occurs in eastern Peninsular Malaysia to Sumatra and Borneo. Much of the information in the literature under C. wallichianum refers to C. rufigemmatum.

Selected sources

33, 648, 779.

Main genus page

• Calophyllum

Authors

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