Record Number
110
PROSEA Handbook Number
5(1):Timber trees; Major commercial timbers
Taxon
Intsia palembanica Miq.
This article should be read together with the article on the genus: Intsia in the Handbook volume indicated above in this database.
This article should be read together with the article on the genus: Intsia in the Handbook volume indicated above in this database.
Protologue
Fl. Ind. Bat., Suppl. 1 (Prodr. Fl. Sum.): 289 (1861).
Synonyms
Afzelia palembanica (Miq.) Baker (1879), Intsia bakeri (Prain) Prain (1901), Intsia plurijuga Harms (1917).
Vernacular Names
Indonesia: ipi, ipil (general), maharan (Kalimantan). Malaysia: anglai, alai (Peninsular). Papua New Guinea: kwila. Philippines: ipil (general). Thailand: lumpho, mue-ba (peninsular), salumpho (south-eastern).
Distribution
Southern Burma, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo, Palawan, Sulawesi, the Moluccas and western New Guinea.
Uses
Intsia palembanica is the main source of merbau timber. Young seeds are sometimes eaten. A dye is obtained from the bark and wood. Bark and leaves are used medicinally.
Observations
A medium-sized or large tree up to 50 m tall, bole branchless for up to 22 m and up to 150 cm in diameter; leaves with (3-)4(-7) pairs of leaflets, leaflets thickly leathery and glossy with a rounded or broadly cuneate base and a blunt to emarginate apex, 8-13.5 cm x 4-10.5 cm; flowers pale yellowish. Intsia palembanica often occurs near the coast but is found inland more frequently than Intsia bijuga, up to 1000 m altitude. The density of the wood is 500-1000 kg/m³ at 12% moisture content. See also the table on wood properties.
Image
 | Intsia palembanica Miq. - 1, tree habit; 2, flowering twig; 3, fruit. |
Selected Sources
Boonab, C., 1972. Mai lumpho [Intsia bakeri Prain]. Vanasarn (Thailand0 30: 1-7.
Boonab, C., 1975. Intsia palembanica Miq. Vanasarn (Thailand) 33: 261-263.
Browne, F.G., 1955. Forest trees of Sarawak and Brunei and their products. Government Printing Office, Kuching. xviii + 369 pp.
Burgess, P.F., 1966. Timbers of Sabah. Sabah Forest Records No 6. Forest Department, Sabah, Sandakan. xviii + 501 pp.
Burkill, I.H., 1966. A dictionary of the economic products of the Malay Peninsula. 2nd edition. Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives, Kuala Lumpur. Vol. 1(A-H) pp. 1-1240. Vol. 2(I-Z) pp. 1241-2444.
Corner, E.J.H., 1988. Wayside trees of Malaya. 3rd edition. 2 volumes. The Malayan Nature Society, Kuala Lumpur. 774 pp.
de Wit, H.C.D., 1941. Notes on the genera Intsia and Pahudia (Legum.). Bulletin du Jardin Botanique, Buitenzorg, ser. 3, 17: 139-154.
Heyne, K., 1927. De nuttige planten van Nederlands-Indië [The useful plants of the Dutch East Indies]. 2nd edition, 3 volumes. Departement van Landbouw, Nijverheid en Handel in Nederlandsch-Indië, 's-Gravenhage. 1953 pp.
Hidyat, S. & Karnasudirdja, S., 1987. Sifat pengeringan alami dan dehumidifikasi beberapa jenis kayu Indonesia [Air-drying and dehumidifying properties of some Indonesian timber species]. Jurnal Penelitian Hasil Hutan 4(3): 41-44.
Laming, P.B., Rijsdijk, J.F. & Verwijs, J.C., 1978. Houtsoorten, informatie voor de praktijk [Wood species, information for the practice]. Houtinstituut TNO, Delft. 390 pp.
Lee, Y.H., Engku Abdul Rahman & Chu, Y.P., 1979. The strength properties of some Malaysian timbers. Revised edition. Malaysian Forest Service Trade Leaflet No 34. Malaysian Timber Industry Board, Kuala Lumpur. 107 pp.
Malaysian Timber Industry Board, 1986. 100 Malaysian timbers . Kuala Lumpur. x + 226 pp.
Martawijaya, A. et al., 1989. Atlas kayu Indonesia [Indonesian wood atlas]. Vol. 2. Departemen Kehutanan, Badan Penelitian dan Pengembangan Kehutanan, Bogor. 167 pp.
Meijer-Drees, E., 1938. The genera Intsia and Pahudia (Legum.) in The Netherlands Indies. Bulletin du Jardin Botanique, Buitenzorg, ser. 3, 16: 83-102.
Ng, F.S.P. & Tang, H.T., 1974. Comparative growth rates of Malaysian trees. Malaysian Forester 37: 2-23.
Satohiko S., 1980. Storage and germination of some Malaysian legume seeds. Malaysian Forester 43: 161-165.
Satohiko S. & Ng, F.S.P., 1981. Physiological studies on germination and seedling development in Intsia palembanica. Malaysian Forester 44: 43-59.
Smitinand, T. & Larsen, K. (Editors), 1970-. Flora of Thailand. The Forest Herbarium, Royal Forest Department, Bangkok.
van Alphen de Veer, E.J. & Verduyn Lunel, F.A., 1950. Kweekproeven met Intsia palembanica Miq. en Intsia bijuga O. Ktze [Germination tests with Intsia palembanica Miq. and Intsia bijuga O. Ktze]. Tectona 40: 336-345.
Verdcourt, B., 1979. A manual of New Guinea legumes. Botany Bulletin No 11. Office of Forests, Division of Botany, Lae. 645 pp.
Wong, W.C. & Ong, C.L., 1988. Particle board from batai (Paraserianthes falcataria). Malaysian Forester 49: 56-64.
Boonab, C., 1975. Intsia palembanica Miq. Vanasarn (Thailand) 33: 261-263.
Browne, F.G., 1955. Forest trees of Sarawak and Brunei and their products. Government Printing Office, Kuching. xviii + 369 pp.
Burgess, P.F., 1966. Timbers of Sabah. Sabah Forest Records No 6. Forest Department, Sabah, Sandakan. xviii + 501 pp.
Burkill, I.H., 1966. A dictionary of the economic products of the Malay Peninsula. 2nd edition. Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives, Kuala Lumpur. Vol. 1(A-H) pp. 1-1240. Vol. 2(I-Z) pp. 1241-2444.
Corner, E.J.H., 1988. Wayside trees of Malaya. 3rd edition. 2 volumes. The Malayan Nature Society, Kuala Lumpur. 774 pp.
de Wit, H.C.D., 1941. Notes on the genera Intsia and Pahudia (Legum.). Bulletin du Jardin Botanique, Buitenzorg, ser. 3, 17: 139-154.
Heyne, K., 1927. De nuttige planten van Nederlands-Indië [The useful plants of the Dutch East Indies]. 2nd edition, 3 volumes. Departement van Landbouw, Nijverheid en Handel in Nederlandsch-Indië, 's-Gravenhage. 1953 pp.
Hidyat, S. & Karnasudirdja, S., 1987. Sifat pengeringan alami dan dehumidifikasi beberapa jenis kayu Indonesia [Air-drying and dehumidifying properties of some Indonesian timber species]. Jurnal Penelitian Hasil Hutan 4(3): 41-44.
Laming, P.B., Rijsdijk, J.F. & Verwijs, J.C., 1978. Houtsoorten, informatie voor de praktijk [Wood species, information for the practice]. Houtinstituut TNO, Delft. 390 pp.
Lee, Y.H., Engku Abdul Rahman & Chu, Y.P., 1979. The strength properties of some Malaysian timbers. Revised edition. Malaysian Forest Service Trade Leaflet No 34. Malaysian Timber Industry Board, Kuala Lumpur. 107 pp.
Malaysian Timber Industry Board, 1986. 100 Malaysian timbers . Kuala Lumpur. x + 226 pp.
Martawijaya, A. et al., 1989. Atlas kayu Indonesia [Indonesian wood atlas]. Vol. 2. Departemen Kehutanan, Badan Penelitian dan Pengembangan Kehutanan, Bogor. 167 pp.
Meijer-Drees, E., 1938. The genera Intsia and Pahudia (Legum.) in The Netherlands Indies. Bulletin du Jardin Botanique, Buitenzorg, ser. 3, 16: 83-102.
Ng, F.S.P. & Tang, H.T., 1974. Comparative growth rates of Malaysian trees. Malaysian Forester 37: 2-23.
Satohiko S., 1980. Storage and germination of some Malaysian legume seeds. Malaysian Forester 43: 161-165.
Satohiko S. & Ng, F.S.P., 1981. Physiological studies on germination and seedling development in Intsia palembanica. Malaysian Forester 44: 43-59.
Smitinand, T. & Larsen, K. (Editors), 1970-. Flora of Thailand. The Forest Herbarium, Royal Forest Department, Bangkok.
van Alphen de Veer, E.J. & Verduyn Lunel, F.A., 1950. Kweekproeven met Intsia palembanica Miq. en Intsia bijuga O. Ktze [Germination tests with Intsia palembanica Miq. and Intsia bijuga O. Ktze]. Tectona 40: 336-345.
Verdcourt, B., 1979. A manual of New Guinea legumes. Botany Bulletin No 11. Office of Forests, Division of Botany, Lae. 645 pp.
Wong, W.C. & Ong, C.L., 1988. Particle board from batai (Paraserianthes falcataria). Malaysian Forester 49: 56-64.
Author(s)
M.S.M. Sosef
Correct Citation of this Article
Sosef, M.S.M., 1993. Intsia palembanica Miq.. In: Soerianegara, I. and Lemmens, R.H.M.J. (Editors): Plant Resources of South-East Asia No 5(1):Timber trees; Major commercial timbers. PROSEA Foundation, Bogor, Indonesia. Database record: prota4u.org/prosea
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