Record Number
3520
PROSEA Handbook Number
5(1): Timber trees; Major commercial timbers
Taxon
Gonystylus bancanus (Miq.) Kurz
This article should be read together with the article on the genus: Gonystylus in the Handbook volume indicated above in this database.
This article should be read together with the article on the genus: Gonystylus in the Handbook volume indicated above in this database.
Protologue
Natuurk. Tijdsch. Ned. Ind. 27: 171, 240 (1864).
Vernacular Names
Brunei: ramin. Indonesia: ramin (general), gaharu buaya (Sumatra, Kalimantan), merang (Kalimantan). Malaysia: ramin melawis, melawis, ramin telur (Peninsular), garu buaja (Sarawak).
Distribution
South-western Peninsular Malaysia, south-eastern Sumatra, Bangka and Borneo.
Uses
Gonystylus bancanus is the most important source of ramin timber. The wood is suitable for general light construction, and numerous uses where a clean, whitish timber is desired. The heartwood is used for incense.
Observations
A medium-sized to fairly large tree of up to 40(-45) m tall, bole cylindrical, up to 120 cm in diameter but usually less, sometimes slightly fluted at the base, with many knee-roots (pneumatophores), bark surface often cracked and fissured, greyish to red-brown, inner bark fibrous, orange-brown to red-brown, sapwood pale cream or white; leaves elliptical, shortly oblong-oblanceolate or obovate, (4-)5-8(-14.5) cm (2-)3-5(-7) cm, often conduplicate, broadly cuneate to rounded at base, suddenly narrowed into an acuminate-cuspidate apex, quite glabrous, petiole 8-18 mm long; inflorescence up to 9 cm long, minutely adpressed ochraceo-puberulous; petals 13-20, narrowly lanceolate, glabrous; fruit subglobose, up to 4 cm in diameter. Gonystylus bancanus occurs gregariously in lowland freshwater swamp or peat-swamp forests outside the influence of tidal waters but often in broad belts along the coast. It occurs up to 100 m altitude and is occasionally found in pure stands (e.g. Sarawak). The density of the wood is (460-)540-750(-840) kg/m3 at 15% moisture content. See also the table on wood properties.
Image
 | Gonystylus bancanus (Miq.) Kurz - 1, tree habit; 2, sterile twig; 3, flower; 4, sectioned flower; 5, dehisced fruit |
Selected Sources
[10]All Nippon Checkers Corporation, 1989. Illustrated commercial foreign woods in Japan. Tokyo. 262 pp.
[14]Alrasjid, H. & Soerianegara, I., 1976. Pedoman sementara penanaman kayu ramin (Gonystylus bancanus Kurz) [Preliminary guidelines for planting ramin (Gonystylus bancanus Kurz)]. Laporan No 231. Lembaga Penelitian Hutan, Bogor. iv + 16 pp.
[15]Alrasjid, H. & Soerianegara, I., 1978. Percobaan enrichment planting pohon ramin (Gonystylus bancanus Kurz) pada areal bekas penebangan di komplek hutan Teluk Belanga, Kalimantan Barat. [Trial enrichment planting of residual ramin (Gonystylus bancanus Kurz) forest in the Teluk Belanga forest complex, West Kalimantan]. Laporan No 269. Lembaga Penelitian Hutan, Bogor. 19 pp.
[89]Browne, F.G., 1955. Forest trees of Sarawak and Brunei and their products. Government Printing Office, Kuching. xviii + 369 pp.
[93]Brunig, E.F., 1969. The classification of forest types in Sarawak. Malayan Forester 32: 143–179.
[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.
[146]Cockburn, P.F., 1976–1980. Trees of Sabah. 2 volumes. Sabah Forest Records No 10. Forest Department Sabah, Kuching.
[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.
[323]Hinojosa, M. et al., 1986. Occupational asthma caused by African maple Triplochiton scleroxylon and ramin Gonystylus bancanus, evidence of cross reactivity between these two woods. Clin Allergy 16: 145–154.
[340]IUCN Species Survival Commission Trade Specialist Group, 1992. Inclusion of Gonystylus bancanus in appendix II. Analyses of proposals to amend the CITES appendices. Eighth meeting of the conference of the parties, Kyoto (Japan), 2–13 March 1992. IUCN – the World Conservation Union. pp. 199–200.
[406]Laurent, D., 1986. Kalimantan ramin and agathis, where do you come from and how are you harvested? Revue Bois et Forêts des Tropiques 211: 75–88.
[435]Liu, C.T., 1975. Properties of hardboard made from some South-East Asian tropical woods. Quarterly Journal of Chinese Forestry 8: 85–93.
[456]Martawijaya, A., 1973. Sifat dan kegunaan kayu ramin [Properties and uses of Ramin]. Laporan No 4. Lembaga Penelitian Hasil Hutan, Bogor. 29 pp.
[457]Martawijaya, A. & Abdurrohim, S., 1978. Protection of ramin logs against ambrosia beetle attack. Laporan No 117. Lembaga Penelitian Hasil Hutan, Bogor. 17 pp.
[461]Martawijaya, A. et al., 1986. Indonesian wood atlas. Vol. 1. Forestry Products and Development Centre, Bogor. 166 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.
[620]Sim, H.C., 1983. Malaysian timbers – ramin. Malaysian Forest Service Trade Leaflet No 74. Malaysian Timber Industry Board, Kuala Lumpur. 7 pp.
[635]Soemarna, K. & Suyana, A., 1978. Tabel isi batang dibawah pangkal tajuk dan kayu tebal untuk ramin Gonystylus bancanus Kurz di Kalimantan Tengah [Clear-bole, thick-wood and tree volume tables for ramin (Gonystylus bancanus Kurz) in Central Kalimantan]. Laporan No 279. Lembaga Penelitian Hutan, Bogor. 29 pp.
[639]Soewarsono, P.H., 1964. Sifat-sifat dan kegunaan kaju ramin [The properties and uses of ramin wood]. Rimba Indonesia 9: 89–97.
[691]Thomas, A.V., 1949. Malayan timbers. Malayan Forester 12: 201–207.
[748]van Steenis, C.G.G.J. & de Wilde, W.J.J.O. (Editors), 1950–. Flora Malesiana. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, Boston, London.
[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.
[785]Wiroatmodjo, P., 1975. Ramin (Gonystylus spp.) forest in Kalimantan. Kehutanan Indonesia 2: 868–892.
[786]Wiselius, S.I., 1990. Hout-vademecum [Wood vademecum]. 6th edition. Kluwer Technische Boeken B.V., Deventer, Antwerpen. 375 pp.
[807]Wyatt-Smith, J. & Kochummen, K.M., 1979. Pocket check list of timber trees. 3rd ed. Malayan Forest Records No 17. Nan Yang Press, Kuala Lumpur. 428 + 126 pp.
[14]Alrasjid, H. & Soerianegara, I., 1976. Pedoman sementara penanaman kayu ramin (Gonystylus bancanus Kurz) [Preliminary guidelines for planting ramin (Gonystylus bancanus Kurz)]. Laporan No 231. Lembaga Penelitian Hutan, Bogor. iv + 16 pp.
[15]Alrasjid, H. & Soerianegara, I., 1978. Percobaan enrichment planting pohon ramin (Gonystylus bancanus Kurz) pada areal bekas penebangan di komplek hutan Teluk Belanga, Kalimantan Barat. [Trial enrichment planting of residual ramin (Gonystylus bancanus Kurz) forest in the Teluk Belanga forest complex, West Kalimantan]. Laporan No 269. Lembaga Penelitian Hutan, Bogor. 19 pp.
[89]Browne, F.G., 1955. Forest trees of Sarawak and Brunei and their products. Government Printing Office, Kuching. xviii + 369 pp.
[93]Brunig, E.F., 1969. The classification of forest types in Sarawak. Malayan Forester 32: 143–179.
[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.
[146]Cockburn, P.F., 1976–1980. Trees of Sabah. 2 volumes. Sabah Forest Records No 10. Forest Department Sabah, Kuching.
[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.
[323]Hinojosa, M. et al., 1986. Occupational asthma caused by African maple Triplochiton scleroxylon and ramin Gonystylus bancanus, evidence of cross reactivity between these two woods. Clin Allergy 16: 145–154.
[340]IUCN Species Survival Commission Trade Specialist Group, 1992. Inclusion of Gonystylus bancanus in appendix II. Analyses of proposals to amend the CITES appendices. Eighth meeting of the conference of the parties, Kyoto (Japan), 2–13 March 1992. IUCN – the World Conservation Union. pp. 199–200.
[406]Laurent, D., 1986. Kalimantan ramin and agathis, where do you come from and how are you harvested? Revue Bois et Forêts des Tropiques 211: 75–88.
[435]Liu, C.T., 1975. Properties of hardboard made from some South-East Asian tropical woods. Quarterly Journal of Chinese Forestry 8: 85–93.
[456]Martawijaya, A., 1973. Sifat dan kegunaan kayu ramin [Properties and uses of Ramin]. Laporan No 4. Lembaga Penelitian Hasil Hutan, Bogor. 29 pp.
[457]Martawijaya, A. & Abdurrohim, S., 1978. Protection of ramin logs against ambrosia beetle attack. Laporan No 117. Lembaga Penelitian Hasil Hutan, Bogor. 17 pp.
[461]Martawijaya, A. et al., 1986. Indonesian wood atlas. Vol. 1. Forestry Products and Development Centre, Bogor. 166 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.
[620]Sim, H.C., 1983. Malaysian timbers – ramin. Malaysian Forest Service Trade Leaflet No 74. Malaysian Timber Industry Board, Kuala Lumpur. 7 pp.
[635]Soemarna, K. & Suyana, A., 1978. Tabel isi batang dibawah pangkal tajuk dan kayu tebal untuk ramin Gonystylus bancanus Kurz di Kalimantan Tengah [Clear-bole, thick-wood and tree volume tables for ramin (Gonystylus bancanus Kurz) in Central Kalimantan]. Laporan No 279. Lembaga Penelitian Hutan, Bogor. 29 pp.
[639]Soewarsono, P.H., 1964. Sifat-sifat dan kegunaan kaju ramin [The properties and uses of ramin wood]. Rimba Indonesia 9: 89–97.
[691]Thomas, A.V., 1949. Malayan timbers. Malayan Forester 12: 201–207.
[748]van Steenis, C.G.G.J. & de Wilde, W.J.J.O. (Editors), 1950–. Flora Malesiana. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, Boston, London.
[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.
[785]Wiroatmodjo, P., 1975. Ramin (Gonystylus spp.) forest in Kalimantan. Kehutanan Indonesia 2: 868–892.
[786]Wiselius, S.I., 1990. Hout-vademecum [Wood vademecum]. 6th edition. Kluwer Technische Boeken B.V., Deventer, Antwerpen. 375 pp.
[807]Wyatt-Smith, J. & Kochummen, K.M., 1979. Pocket check list of timber trees. 3rd ed. Malayan Forest Records No 17. Nan Yang Press, Kuala Lumpur. 428 + 126 pp.
Author(s)
L.E. Groen
Correct Citation of this Article
Groen, L.E., 1993. Gonystylus bancanus (Miq.) Kurz. 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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