Dipterocarpus obtusifolius Teijsm. ex Miq. - DIPTEROCARPACEAE

Synonym : Dipterocarpus vestitus Wall. ex Dyer
Dipterocarpus punctulatus Pierre

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Botanical descriptions Habitat and ecology Distribution

Botanical descriptions :

Diagnostic characters : Large deciduous trees, bark deeply fissured. Twigs densely covered with brown hairs. Exudate resinous. Stipules extra-petiolar, pink, sheathing leaving an annular scar. Inflorescence axillary, flowers pink, corolla lobes contorted. Fruit a winged nut with 2 long and 3 short wings.
Habit : Deciduous tree up to 30 m. tall, branches ascending or horizontally to the main trunk.
Trunk & bark : Bole straight. Bark dark grey, deeply fissured.
Branches and branchlets or twigs : Twigs angular or terete, densely covered with long bristly hairs.
Exudates : Exudate resinous.
Leaves : Leaves simple, alternate and spiral, drying brownish, broadly elliptic, apex obtuse, base rounded or somewhat heart-shaped, margin entire, undulate, below hirsute stellate when young, glabrous when mature.
Midrib canaliculated above, primary vein single, secondary veins oblique to the midrib, widely parallel, tertiary veins oblique.
Stipules present, large, soon falling off, leaving an annular scar on the twig.
Inflorescences or flowers : Flowers arranged in an inflorescence, axillary, bisexual, pedicel longer than 0.5 cm long.
Fruits : Fruit 2.5 – 3.5 cm in diameter, globose, a 5-winged nut, glabrous when ripe.
Seeds : Seed one.

Habitat and ecology :

A dominant species in dry Dipterocarp forest, fire-tolerant up to 1200 m. altitude.

Distribution :

India (Andamans), Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos (Khammouan).

Remark/notes/uses :
The timber is used for general construction; the resin is only of poor quality.

Specimens studied :
BT 8, BT 247, BT 702, LAO 259, LAO 290, LAO 945 (Herbarium of Faculty of Sciences-NUoL, NHN-Leiden and CIRAD-Montpellier).

Literature :
Gardner S., Sidisunthorn P. & Anusarnsunthorn V. 2000. A field guide to Forest Trees of Northern Thailand. Kobfai Publishing Project. Bangkok. Thailand.

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