Dipterocarpus costatus Gaertn.f. - DIPTEROCARPACEAE

Synonym : Dipterocarpus artocarpifolius Pierre
Dipterocarpus parvifolius Hiern.

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Botanical descriptions Habitat and ecology Distribution

Botanical descriptions :

Diagnostic characters : Large deciduous trees, bark fissured and flaky, exudates resinous. Leaves covered with stellate hairs below. Stipules sheathing leaving a annular scar. Fruit a winged nut.
Habit : Briefly deciduous tree up to 40 m tall.
Trunk & bark : Bole straight, bark thick, pale brown, fissured and peeling in rounded flakes, leaving a distinctive swirling pattern.
Branches and branchlets or twigs : Twigs terete, densely hairy with white stellate hairs.
Exudates : Exudate resinous.
Leaves : Leaves simple, alternate and spiral, stellately hairy, ovate, apex acute, base slightly rounded to cordate, margin entire.
Primary vein single, secondary veins obliques, tertiary veins oblique.
Stipules large, fairly persistent leaving an annular scar.
Inflorescences or flowers : Flowers arranged in 3--6-flowered inflorescences, axillary, bisexual, pedicels shorter than 0.5 cm.
Fruits : Fruit a winged nut up to 12 cm long, with 2 long and 3 short wings, not splitting open, body with 5 narrow ridges.
Seeds : Seed one.

Habitat and ecology :

Gregarious and sometimes dominating the upper canopy.

Distribution :

Bangladesh, Burma (Myanmar), India (Andamans), Indochina, Malay Peninsula, Laos (Khammouan).

Remark/notes/uses :
The timber is used for general construction and ship building, but is not durable in the open. The resin is valuable in the paint industry.

Specimens studied :
BT 911, LAO 249 (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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