3741

5(1): Timber trees; Major commercial timbers

Pterocarpus indicus Willd.

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

Sp. pl. ed. 4, 3: 904 (1802).

Pterocarpus wallichii Wight & Arn. (1834), Pterocarpus zollingeri Miq. (1855), Pterocarpus papuanus F. v. Mueller (1886).

As for the genus.

From southern Burma through South-East Asia towards the Santa Cruz and Pacific Islands. Cultivated in Africa, India, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Okinawa, Hawaii and Central America.

The timber is used as narra. See genus treatment for other uses.

A medium-sized to fairly large tree of up to 40 m tall, bole often massive at age and up to 350 cm in diameter, often with double-leader big branches rather close to the base, buttresses usually present, branches drooping; leaves 12—30 cm long, glabrous, leaflets 5—13, generally ovate, (2—)4—5(—9) cm (4—)6—10(—15) cm; pod shortly stipitate, almost circular, 4—7 cm in diameter, smooth (f. indicus) or with bristle-like prickles (f. echinatus (Persoon) Rojo, synonym: Pterocarpus echinatus Persoon). The latter forma is sometimes regarded as a distinct species. Pterocarpus indicus occurs mainly along tidal creeks and rocky shores, mostly in evergreen forest but also in seasonal forest up to 600 m altitude but it may grow at higher altitudes when planted. The density of the wood is (390—)550—900(—950) kg/m³ at 15% moisture content. See also the table on wood properties.

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J.P. Rojo

Rojo, J.P., 1993. Pterocarpus indicus Willd.. 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