Common Name:

General Information

Hopea helferi is a medium-sized to large evergreen tree usually growing 20 - 37 metres tall[]. The bole, which sometimes has large and coarse buttresses, can attain a diameter of up to 165cm and can be branchless for 15 - 21 metres[].
The tree is utilized locally for its resin and valuable timber, and is also harvested commercially for these purposes[]. It is sometimes cultivated as a timber and resin crop[].
Overexploitation and habitat destruction have greatly reduced the population of this species and it has been designated as 'Critically Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2009)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Southeast Asia - Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia.

Habitat

Occurs solitarily or in small groups on hill slopes and undulating land in semi-evergreen forest and moist evergreen forests, dry evergreen forests and riparian forests[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Critically Endangered
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	30.00 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of lowland, tropical monsoon climates, it is usually found at elevations below 700 metres[].
Young plants are shade tolerant, though require more sun as they grow larger[]. Occurs on deep and wet soils in the wild, especially on sedimentary rocks with an acid to neutral pH[]. It also occurs in relatively poor sites where it is distributed sporadically[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

A resin obtained from the tree is used locally for making firetorches, and is also used in the manufacture of varnish[].

The heartwood is yellowish brown to brownish-red or brownish grey; it is demarcated from the pale yellow sapwood which turns pale brown on exposure, sometimes with dark streaks. The texture is medium, the grain interlocked. The wood is very hard; moderately heavy; in general it is not durable. It is difficult to saw, but is easy to work with and can be brought to a fairly fine finish. Treatment is not easy, especially with the heartwood where the side- and end penetration is almost zero. It is also resistant to water and air[]. The wood is much used for light and heavy construction and for fishing and racing boats. Houses constructed from it can last for 7 - 8 years, and boats up to 30 years[, ]. It is also commonly used to make local carts, handicrafts and cabinets[].

Propagation

Seed -
The seeds are mature and ready for collection when the wings have turned to a dark brown and the coat has changed from green to yellow[]. It is important to time the collections of this species carefully, as seeds that are not fully mature have low viability[]. The fruit is collected directly by climbing the tree, or by shaking the branches over tarpaulins spread on the ground. Collection from the forest floor should be avoided as these seeds have low viability and are often heavily infected by weevils[]. Fresh seeds have high moisture content and must be kept in loosely folded bags away from the sunlight during transport and temporary storage[]. Soon after collection in the field the wings of each fruit must be removed manually; while immature and insect-infected fruits are to be discarded[].

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