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Hopea sangal Korth.
| Family Name: | Dipterocarpaceae |
| Common Name: | Cengal Pasir, Cengal Mata Kuching, Mersiput, Dammar Siput, Gagil, Merawan Hitam |
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Tree (Big (>30m)) |
| Plant Shape | Irregular |
| Maximum Height | 40 m |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Peninsular Thailand, Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Bangka and Belitung islands, West Java, and Borneo |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial (Primary Rainforest, Riverine) |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
| Local Conservation Status | Native to Singapore (Critically Endangered (CR)) |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | It is a tree that grows up to 40 m tall with stout buttress. Its dark brown bark is vertically cracked and scaly, very prominent against the cream-white resin exudations from the trunk. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Its alternate, stalked leaves have thin leaf blades that are egg-shaped and about 5.5–10 by 3.5–5 cm. Sometimes, hairy domatia (chambers produced by plants for arthropods) are present along leaf veins on the lower surface of leaf blades. Its slender tertiary veins are parallel to each other but indistinct. Its 3 mm-long stipules with grey-brown hairs are often falling off early during plant growth. |
| Flowers | Its 7 cm-long flowering shoots are singly or doubly branched, bearing up to 8 pale yellow flowers with white-tipped hairs on the same side of each branchlet. |
| Fruit | Its winged-nut is egg-shaped, sparsely covered with hair, and 4 mm wide. |
| Habitat | It grows on clay-rich soils on river banks or hillsides up to 500 m in altitude. |
| Associated Fauna | Its flowers are insect-pollinated. |
| Cultivation | It can be propagated by seed. |
| Etymology | Latin Hopea, commemorating John Hope, the first Regius Keeper of Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh; Dayak sangal, the vernacular name of this plant in Kalimantan |
Landscaping Features
| Landscaping | It is suitable for parks. |
|---|---|
| Desirable Plant Features | Ornamental Fruits, Ornamental Form |
| Landscape Uses | Parks & Gardens |
Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal
| Pollination Method(s) | Biotic (Fauna) |
|---|---|
| Seed or Spore Dispersal | Abiotic |
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun, Semi-Shade |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Rootzone Tolerance | Moist Soils, Well-Drained Soils, Fertile Loamy Soils |
| Propagation Method | Seed |
Foliar
| Foliage Retention | Evergreen |
|---|---|
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
| Mature Foliage Texture(s) | Thin |
| Foliar Type | Simple / Unifoliate |
| Foliar Arrangement Along Stem | Alternate |
| Foliar Attachment to Stem | Petiolate |
| Foliar Shape(s) | Non-Palm Foliage (Ovate) |
| Foliar Venation | Pinnate / Net |
| Foliar Margin | Entire |
| Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio | 3.0 (Tree - Intermediate Canopy) |
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower & Plant Sexuality | Bisexual Flowers |
| Flower Colour(s) | Cream / Off-White, Yellow / Golden |
|---|---|
| Flower Grouping | Cluster / Inflorescence |
| Flower Location | Axillary |
| Flower Symmetry | Radial |
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Mature Fruit Colour(s) | Brown |
|---|---|
| Fruit Classification | Simple Fruit |
| Fruit Type | Indehiscent Dry Fruit , Nut / Nutlet |
Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 1668 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 2961 |
| Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |
