Dryobalanops sumatrensis (J.F. Gmelin) Kosterm

Dryobalanops sumatrensis (J.F. Gmelin) Kosterm

Family

Dipterocarpaceae

Synonyms

Dryobalanops aromatica Gaertner f., Dryobalanops camphora Colebr.

Vernacular Names

Malaysia Kapur (Peninsular), kapur biasa (Sabah), kapur peringgi (Sarawak).
Indonesia Kapur singkel, kapurun, pokok kapur barus (Sumatra).
Brunei

Kapur anggi, kapur peringgi.

Geographical Distributions

Dryobalanops sumatrensis is found in Peninsular Malaysia, north-western and eastern Sumatra, the Riau and Lingga archipelago, and northern and western Borneo.

Description

Dryobalanops sumatrensis is a very large tree that can reach up to 60(-67) m tall, and with a straight, cylindrical bole. It is branchless for up to 40 m, with diametre up to 200(-340) cm and buttresses measure up to 5 m high. The bark is yellowish-brown, strongly aromatic when slashed but not exuding any dammar at first.

The leaves are broadly ovate, measuring 4-6 cm x 2-4 cm, with acumen up to 15 mm long and hairless.

The sepal lobes of its fruit are spoon-shaped, measuring 4-6 cm x 0.8-2 cm and bordered by a cup measuring 6-8 mm deep and 8-15 mm wide.

Ecology / Cultivation

Dryobalanops sumatrensis favours well-drained, yellow, leached, sandy-clayey soils and performs best on lower and middle slopes, less so in valleys or on ridges, up to 400 m altitude. It is locally dominant or gregarious. The density of the wood is 630-940 kg/m3 at 15% moisture content.

Line Drawing / Photograph

Dryobalanops_sumatrensis

References

  1. Plant Resources of South-East Asia No.5(1): Timber trees: Major commercial timbers.