Shorea maxwelliana (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Shorea maxwelliana King

Protologue: Journ. As. Soc. Beng. 62(2): 114 (1893).

Synonyms

• Shorea utilis King (1893),
• Shorea barbata Brandis (1895),
• Balanocarpus ovalifolius Ridley (1920) p.p.,
• Shorea alba Ridley (1920).

Vernacular names

• Brunei: balau kumus hitam
• Indonesia: damar bintang, rikir sega, rikir minyak (western Sumatra)
• Malaysia: damar laut daun kechil, balau kumus hitam (Peninsular), selangan batu asam (Sabah), selangan tandok (Sarawak).

Distribution

Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra and northern Borneo.

Uses

S. maxwelliana is one of the more important balau-producing species.

Observations

• A medium-sized to large tree up to 50 m tall with bole up to 160 cm in diameter and prominent buttresses up to 4 m high, bark flaky.
• Leaves ovate-lanceolate, thinly leathery, 6-10 cm × 2.5-4 cm, with 8-10 pairs of secondary veins.
• Petals short, elliptical-oblong, stamens c. 30, with barbate appendages.
• Fruit calyx lobes unequal, thin, larger three up to 10 cm × 1.5 cm.

S. maxwelliana is locally common on low hill ridges and well-drained soils up to 700 m altitude. The density of the wood is 880-1155 kg/m³ at 15% moisture content. See also the table on wood properties.

Selected sources

30, 89, 100, 253, 258, 297, 318, 417, 446, 461, 677, 748.

Main genus page

• Shorea (balau)

Authors

• M.S.M. Sosef (selection of species)