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Hopea beccariana Burck
| Family Name: | Dipterocarpaceae |
| Synonyms: | Balanocarpus ovalifolius Ridl., Hancea beccariana (Burck) Pierre, Hancea beccarii (Burck) Pierre, Hopea intermedia King, Hopea nicholsonii F.Heim |
| Common Name: | Merawan Batu, Jangkang, Selangan Penak, Garang Buaya Daun Kechil |
Hopea beccariana, also known as Merawan Batu, is large tree, reaching up to 45 m tall. It has small cream flowers which produced winged fruits after pollination. Aside from its valuable timber, it also produces a clear resin which can be used to make varnish for caulking boats and illumination purposes.
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Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Tree |
| Lifespan (in Singapore) | Perennial |
| Mode of Nutrition | Autotrophic |
| Plant Shape | Broad / Mushroom / Hemispherical |
| Maximum Height | 45 m |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
| Local Conservation Status | Non-native |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | It is a tree, up to 45 m tall, with a diffuse hemispherical crown and short buttresses. The bark is dark brown and deeply fissured. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Leaves are ovate (5 – 8 cm long and 2.2 – 4.5 cm wide) and thinly leathery. Each leaf has about 8 pairs of lateral veins. The midrib is slightly raised on both surfaces. The leaf tip is slender and tapering, up to 1.5 cm while the leaf base is wedge-shaped to subequal. The leaf stalk is 1.2 – 1.7 cm long. The stipules can reach up to 0.25 cm long and fall off early. |
| Flowers | Flowers occur in a cluster as a panicle inflorescence at the axillary (rarely terminal) position. Inflorescence is single-branched, reaching up to 7 cm long, and comprises of up to 5 flowers. All the flowers on the branch face the same direction (secund). Flower is small and creamy white. Each flower has 15 stamens with broadly oblong anthers. The ovary and the stylopodium are hour-glass-shaped and tapering into a short style. |
| Fruit | The fruit is woody and winged. Each fruit has 2 longer lobes (3.5 cm long and 1 cm wide) and 3 shorter lobes (0.7 cm long). The nut is broadly ovoid (9 cm long and 0.5 cm wide) with a short tapering style remnant (0.1 cm long). |
| Habitat | It is found in rainforest and coastal hills, up to 1200 m altitude. |
| Associated Fauna | Flowers are pollinated by insects, possibly thrips. |
| Cultivation | It can be propagated by seed. |
| Etymology | The genus Hopea commemorates John Hope (1725-1768), the first Regius Keeper of the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh. The specific epithet beccariana commemorates Odoardo Beccari (1843 – 1920), an Italian explorer and botanist who contributed significantly to the flora of Malesian region. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Medicinal: In Malaysia, local villagers traditionally used the resin as a folk remedy to treat sores and wounds. Timber & Products: The timber is used as Merawan for heavy construction such as house support and boat hulls. The tree produces a clear resin or dammar, which is known as damar mata kucing in Malaysia. The resin can be used to make varnish for caulking boats and illumination purposes. The bark contains tannin and is used to tan leather and to make tannin-formaldehyde adhesive. |
Landscaping Features
| Landscape Uses | Parks & Gardens |
|---|
Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal
| Pollination Method(s) | Biotic (Fauna) |
|---|
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Moderate to Slow |
| Rootzone Tolerance | Well-Drained Soils |
Foliar
| Foliage Retention | Evergreen |
|---|---|
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
| Mature Foliage Texture(s) | Leathery |
| Prominent Young Flush Colour(s) | Pink |
| Foliar Type | Simple / Unifoliate |
| Foliar Arrangement Along Stem | Alternate |
| Foliar Attachment to Stem | Petiolate |
| Foliar Shape(s) | |
| Foliar Venation | Pinnate / Net |
| Foliar Margin | Entire |
| Foliar Apex - Tip | Caudate |
| Foliar Base | Cuneate |
Non - Foliar and Storage
| Trunk Type (Non Palm) | Woody |
|---|---|
| Mature Bark Texture | Fissured |
| Root Type | Underground |
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower & Plant Sexuality | Bisexual Flowers |
| Flower Colour(s) | Cream / Off-White |
|---|---|
| Flower Grouping | Cluster / Inflorescence |
| Flower Location | Axillary, Terminal |
| Flower Symmetry | Radial |
| Inflorescence Type | Panicle |
| Flowering Period | Every Few Years |
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Mature Fruit Colour(s) | Brown |
|---|---|
| Mature Fruit Texture(s) | Leathery |
| Fruit Classification | Simple Fruit |
| Fruit Type | |
| Seed Quantity Per Fruit | Few (1-5) |
References
| References | Ashton, P.S. (1982). Dipterocarpaceae. In: van Steenis, C.G.G.J. (ed.) Flora Malesiana, ser.1,vol. 9, part 2, pp. 237–552, 575–600. The Hague/Boston/London: Martinus Nijhoff/Dr. W. Junk Publishers. Ashton, P.S. (2004). Dipterocarpaceae. In: Soepadmo, E., Saw L.G. & Chung, R.C.K. (eds) Tree Flora of Sabah Sarawak, vol. 5, pp. 63–388. Malaysia: Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)/Sabah Forestry Department/Sarawak Forestry Department. Soerianegara, I., & Lemmens, R.H.M.J. (Editors). 1993. Plant Resources of South-East Asia Volume 5 (1). Timber Trees: Major Commercial Timbers. Netherlands: Pudoc Scientific Publishers. 610 pages. |
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Others
| Master ID | 34231 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 8644 |
| 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. |
