Gluta wallichii (Hook.f.) Ding Hou
Family
Anacardiaceae
Synonyms
Melanorrhoea wallichii Hook.f., M. maingayi Hook.f., M. woodsiana Scort. ex King.
Vernacular Names
| Malaysia | Rengas kerbau jalang, rengas burung, rengas sumpah biawak (Peninsular). |
| Indonesia | Rengas tjujung (East Kalimantan). |
Geographical Distributions
The distribution of Gluta wallichii is inpeninsular Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo.
Description
G. wallichiiis a large evergreen tree that can reach up to measure 45 m tall, with its bole is up to measure 90 cm in diametre and up to measure4 m high buttresses. The bark surface is usually deeply fissured, greyish-brown and pinkish inner bark.
The leaves are obovate-oblong to elliptical or elliptical-lance-shaped, with a size measure 8.5-34.5 cm x 4-14 cm, obtuse to acuminate at apex, sometimes slightly emarginate, hairless or velvety hairy below, with 9-24 pairs of secondary veins and up to measure 6 cm long petiole.
The flowers are with irregularly bursting sepal. There are measure 4-7 mm long white petals, which are densely hairy and measure about 1.5 mm in diametre. The stamens 5 are while the ovary is hairy.
The fruit is ovoid or ellipsoid in shape, up to measure 1.5 cm long, with an obscure stalk, smooth, brownish and with enlarged petals, which are up to measure 8 cm long.
The cotyledons are free.
Ecology / Cultivation
G. wallichii is widely distributed in mixed dipterocarp forest and swamp forest up to 1000 m altitude. In Peninsular Malaysia, it is common on hillsides, in Sumatra locally co-dominant in peat-swamp forest. It can be found on clayey soils as well as limestone. The density of the wood is 470-980 kg/m3 at 15% moisture content.
Line Drawing / Photograph
References
- Plant Resources of South-East Asia No. 5(2): Timber trees: Minor commercial timbers.
