3383

5(1): Timber trees; Major commercial timbers

Calophyllum inophyllum L.

This article should be read together with the article on the genus: Calophyllum in the Handbook volume indicated above in this database.

Sp. pl. 1: 513 (1753).

Alexandrian laurel, Borneo mahogany (En). Indonesia: njamplung (Java), dingkaran (Sulawesi). Malaysia: bintangor laut, penaga laut (Peninsular), penaga (Sabah). Papua New Guinea: beach calophyllum. Philippines: palo maria (Sp), bitaog (general). Burma: ponnyet, ph'ông. Thailand: krathing (general), saraphee naen (northern), naowakan (Nan). Vietnam: c[aa]y m[uf] u.

Eastern Africa, Madagascar, islands of the Indian Ocean, India, Sri Lanka, Burma, Indo-China, Thailand, Taiwan and the Ryukyu Islands, throughout Malesia, northern Australia and the islands of the Pacific Ocean; often planted within its range, in western Africa and in the tropics of America.

The timber is obtained in many places in fairly large quantities and used for many purposes: construction, furniture and cabinet work, cartwheel hubs, vessels, musical instruments, canoes and boats. The oil from the seeds is used for illumination, soap making, and medicinal purposes. The latex and pounded bark are also used medicinally. The tree is planted as ornamental and shade tree, and for reforestation and afforestation. The fruit is edible.

A medium-sized tree up to 25 m tall, but sometimes as large as 35 m, usually with twisted or leaning bole up to 150 cm in diameter, without buttresses; twigs 4-angled or rounded, terminal bud plump, 4-9 mm long; leaves elliptical, ovate, obovate or oblong, (5.5-)8-20(-23) cm long, rounded to cuneate at base, rounded, retuse or subacute at apex, with 4-10 veins per 5 mm; inflorescences axillary, usually unbranched but occasionally with 3-flowered branches, 5-15(-30)-flowered; flowers with 8(-13) tepals; fruit spherical to obovoid, 25-50 mm long, with fairly thin, compact outer layer, greyish-green. Calophyllum inophyllum is often common on the seashore (sandy beaches), but is sometimes found inland on sandy soils up to 200 m altitude. The fruits are dispersed by sea currents, but also by fruit bats. The timber is generally slightly heavier, stronger and more durable than that of other Calophyllum species and the wood is often finer-textured, and the grain is more interlocked. The density is 560-800 kg/m³ at 15% moisture content. See also the table on wood properties.

[1]Abdul Rashid b. Hj. A. Malik, 1984. Malaysian timbers – bintangor. Malaysian Forest Service Trade Leaflet No 89. Malaysian Timber Industry Board, Kuala Lumpur. 7 pp.
[33]Ashton, P.S., 1988. Manual of the non-dipterocarp trees of Sarawak. 2 volumes. Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, Sarawak branch, for Forest Department, Sarawak. 490 pp.
[35]Backer, C.A. & Bakhuizen van den Brink, R.C., 1963–1968. Flora of Java. 3 volumes. Noordhoff, Groningen.
[100]Burgess, P.F., 1966. Timbers of Sabah. Sabah Forest Records No 6. Forest Department, Sabah, Sandakan. xviii + 501 pp.
[102]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.
[175]de Guzman, E, R. M. Umali, & E.D. Sotalbo, 1986. Guide to Philippine flora and fauna. Vol. 3: dipterocarps, non-dipterocarps. Natural Resources Management Center, Ministry of Natural Resources & University of the Philippines, Manila. xx + 414 pp.
[190]Desch, H.E., 1954. Manual of Malayan timbers. Malayan Forest Records No 15. 2 volumes. Malaya Publishing House Ltd., Singapore. 762 pp.
[318]Heyne, K., 1927. De nuttige planten van Nederlands-Indië [The useful plants of the Dutch East Indies]. 2nd ed. 3 volumes. Departement van Landbouw, Nijverheid en Handel in Nederlandsch-Indië, 's-Gravenhage. 1953 pp.
[359]Keating, W.G. & Bolza, E., 1982. Characteristics, properties and uses of timbers. Vol. 1. South-East Asia, Northern Australia and the Pacific. Inkata Press Proprietary Ltd., Melbourne, Sydney & London. 362 pp.
[461]Martawijaya, A. et al., 1986. Indonesian wood atlas. Vol. 1. Forestry Products and Development Centre, Bogor. 166 pp.
[484]Meniado, J.A. et al., 1975–1981. Wood identification handbook for Philippine timbers. 2 volumes. Government Printing Office, Manila. 370 & 186 pp.
[534]Pearson, R.S. & Brown, H.P., 1932. Commercial timbers of India. Their distribution, supplies, anatomical structure, physical and mechanical properties and uses. 2 volumes. Government of India, Central Publication Branch, Calcutta. x + 1150 pp.
[578]Research Institute of Wood Industry, 1988. Identification, properties and uses of some Southeast Asian woods. Chinese Academy of Forestry, Wan Shou Shan, Beijing & International Tropical Timber Organization, Yokohama. 201 pp.
[579]Reyes, L.J., 1938. Philippine woods. Technical Bulletin No 7. Commonwealth of the Philippines, Department of Agriculture and Commerce. Bureau of Printing, Manila. 536 pp. + 88 plates.
[648]Stevens, P.F., 1980. A revision of the old world species of Calophyllum (Guttiferae). Journal of the Arnold Arboretum 61: 117–699.
[779]Whitmore, T.C. & Ng, F.S.P. (Editors), 1972–1989. Tree flora of Malaya. A manual for foresters. 4 Volumes. 2nd ed. Malayan Forest Records No 26. Longman Malaysia SDN Berhad, Kuala Lumpur.

R.H.M.J. Lemmens

Lemmens, R.H.M.J., 1993. Calophyllum inophyllum L.. 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