Common Name:

General Information

Shorea platyclados is a tree with a large, eventually diffuse, hemispherical crown; it can grow up to 50 metres tall. The bole is usually tall, straight and cylindrical, but can sometimes be small and gnarled; it can be up to 180cm in diameter with stout buttresses up to 4 metres high[, ].
The tree is a source of 'Dark Red Meranti' timber[]. It is commonly harvested from the wild and traded internationally.
The tree is classified as 'Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2010)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Southeast Asia - Indonesia.

Habitat

An emergent tree, widespread in mountainous districts at elevations that are usually between 700 - 1,300 metres, but occasionally down to 200 metres in valley bottoms near mountains[, ].

Properties

Conservation Status	Endangered
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	40.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of moderate elevations in the moist tropics, where it is usually found at elevations of 700 - 1,300 metres, but occasionally down to 200 metres[].
Grows best in deep, fertile soils[]. The tree is only found in the wild on deep, friable, red-brown, fertile clay soils over shale and basalt[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The wood is very durable[]. It is used for making bridges, wharves, beams and for applications where great strength is required[].
The wood is a source of the timber 'Dark Red Meranti'[]. We do not have a specific description, but the general description of dark red meranti is as follows:-
The heartwood is pink-brown to dark red or purplish-brown, with white resin streaks; it is clearly demarcated from the 4 - 8cm wide band of sapwood. The texture is medium; the grain interlocked. The wood is moderately heavy, soft, moderately durable. It seasons well and is stable in service. It has a fairly high blunting effect and so stellite-tipped and tungsten-carbide tools are recommended, there is some risk of tearing due to the interlocked grain; nailing and screwing are goo; gluing is correct. The wood has a wide range of uses including for interior and exterior panelling and joinery, light carpentry, flooring, turnery, sculpture, wood-ware and cabinetwork[].

Propagation

We have no specific information for this species - the information below is a general guide for the genus.

Seed - best sown as soon as possible. It does not require pre-treatment, but it is recommended to soak the seed for 12 hours prior to sowing[]. The seeds are sown in seedbeds, where they are covered with a mixture of sand and soil (1:1) or with a thin layer of sawdust[]. Germination of fresh seeds is usually good and rapid. About two weeks after germination, when the seedlings are 5 - 6cm tall, they are potted up into individual containers about 15 x 23cm with good drainage holes at their base[]. It is normally recommended to use a mixture of forest soil and sand (at a ratio of 3:1) as the potting medium in order to introduce the appropriate mycorrhiza to the roots. The seedlings are placed in
50 - 60% sunlight and watered twice daily[].
Seedlings can be planted out when 30 - 40cm tall - harden the seedlings off in full sunlight for one month prior to planting[].

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