Common Name:

General Information

Dacrydium gracile is an evergreen tree usually growing 7 - 30 metres tall, The straight, cylindrical bole can be around 40cm in diameter[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local and probably also commercial use of its wood.
Dacrydium gracile is a large tree with a distribution which appears to be highly localized within a narrow altitudinal range. Trees are hard to distinguish from other Dacrydium species and so are likely to be cut wherever accessible for construction timber. Populations on Mt. Kinabalu are almost entirely contained within the national park and so are relatively well protected. The proportion of the total population within the protected area is uncertain. Outside of the national park it occurs in forest types that have been or are vulnerable to logging but the impact on the number of individuals and area of occupancy is uncertain. The plant is classified as 'Near Threatened' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Southeast Asia - Borneo (Sabah, Sarawak)

Habitat

Scattered in lower montane rainforest, growing on soils poor in nutrients ('kerangas' forest); in Sarawak it occurs in low canopy 'heath' forest on sandstone; at elevations from 950 - 1,800 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Near Threatened
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	20.00 m
Pollinators	Wind
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

The plant is often found in the wild in Kerangas forest - a type of moist, heath forest found on acidic, sandy soils that are low in nutrients, especially nitrogen[].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required.

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

No uses have been recorded of this species; it is assumed to be of value for its timber like other species in the genus that grow into tall forest trees. Its protected status within Mt. Kinabalu National Park makes exploitation at least of these trees unlikely; outside this protected area it may be logged[]. Trees are hard to distinguish from other Dacrydium species and so are likely to be cut wherever accessible for construction timber[].
The wood of the various Dacrydium species is jointly known as 'sempilor'. The basic description is as follows:-
The heartwood is buff in colour, sometimes with a pink tinge or golden brown; it is not differentiated from the sapwood. The texture is very fine and even; the grain straight. The wood is reputed to be weak; it is light to moderately heavy in weight; it is not durable and is subject to drywood termite attacks. It seasons well without serious degrade; shrinkage is very high; a slight to moderate twisting may occasionally occur. The wood works very easily; it produces a smooth and somewhat lustrous surface; gluing, nailing and peeling properties are satisfactory. A softwood, it should be suitable for decorative works and can be used for panelling, partitioning, veneers, plywood, joinery and furniture making[].

Propagation

The seed can be sown at any time of the year in a sandy soil in a warm greenhouse, though it is probably best sown as soon as it is ripe[]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on until large enough to plant out.
Cuttings of half-ripe terminal shoots, 5 - 10cm long[].

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