Common Name:

General Information

Anisoptera thurifera is an emergent or large canopy tree with a relatively small but dense crown, that can grow 50 metres tall. The cylindrical bole can be up to 180cm in diameter; it has prominent, thick, rounded, tall straight buttresses[, , ].
A major timber species in Papua New Guinea, where it is widely exploited and exported[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Southeast Asia - Philippines to Papua New Guinea.

Habitat

An emergent or canopy tree in evergreen and semi-evergreen Dipterocarp forests at elevations below 750 metres. It is common and often gregarious, regenerating in secondary forest[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	45.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the humid tropics.
Young trees in this genus generally grow better in the dappled shade of the forest floor, whilst older trees require more light. This species, however, can readily invade cultivated land, so should be much more tolerant of full sun when small[].
The resin is collected by chopping into the tree and making a cavity where the oil can collect. Often the cuts extend halfway through the trunk. It is customary to remove the resin every few days and to apply fire to the cuts at frequent intervals. It is reported that the same tree can be tapped for a number of years[].
Tapping the tree usually results in the entrance of decay organisms and the ultimate death of the tree. For this reason all trees which are tapped for resin should be cut and used for timber before the wood is destroyed[].
The flow of resin may amount to more than a kilo per day[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

A pioneer species within its native range, where it readily invades cultivated land[].

Other Uses

The trunk is the source of a resinous oil known as 'Palosapis oil'[]. It is used locally as an illuminant, for varnishing, and for caulking boats[]. It has good potential for use in making varnishes[].
The resin is collected by chopping into the tree and making a cavity where the oil can collect. Often the cuts extend halfway through the trunk. It is customary to remove the resin every few days and to apply fire to the cuts at frequent intervals. It is reported that the same tree can be tapped for a number of years[].

The yellowish wood is used for construction[].
The wood is a source of the timber 'Mersawa'. We do not have any more specific information on this species, but the general description of mersawa is as follows:-
The heartwood is orange-yellow, darkening to golden brown with whitish resin veins present; it is not clearly demarcated from the 5 - 8cm wide band of sapwood. The texture is coarse; the grain straight or interlocked. The wood is of light to moderate weight; it can be soft to fairly hard; somewhat durable being fairly resistant to termites but susceptible to fungi and dry wood borers. It seasons slowly with only a slight risk of distortion or checking; once dry it is moderately stable to stable in service. The wood contains silica and has a high blunting effect - stellite-tipped and tungsten carbide tools are recommended; there is a tendency to tearing on quartersawn timber; nailing and screwing are good; gluing is correct. The wood has a range of uses including flooring, boxes and crates, interior panelling and joinery, turnery, veneer[].

Propagation

Seed -

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