Common Name: Hill Jelutong

General Information

Hill jelutong is a large, deciduous, canopy tree with a spreading crown that can grow up to 75 metres tall. It has an unbuttressed bole that can be unbranched for 15 - 30 metres and up to 3 metres in diameter[, ].
The plant has been tapped commercially for its latex for hundreds of years. It is mainly wild forest trees that are exploited, and these are protected for further utilization[]. In the Malay Peninsula, the tree is also cultivated[].
The tree has long been exploited for timber and latex and the risk of extinction was recognised 60 years ago[]. However, the species regenerates readily in logged-over forest, it coppices well and is extremely resistant to girdling[]. It has therefore been classified as being of 'Lower risk' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2009)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Southeast Asia - Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia.

Habitat

Primary evergreen lowland or hill forest up to 300 metres[]. In undisturbed forests at elevations up to 400 metres. Usually on hillsides and ridges on clayey to sandy soils. In secondary forests usually present as a pre-disturbance remnant[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	50.00 m
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the wet, lowland tropics, where it is usually found at elevations up to 400 metres, exceptionally to 800 metres[, ].
Requires a sunny position - the tree develops a wide crown when growing in the sun in order to 'claim' its territory[]. Prefers a well-drained soil, often growing on hills and ridges in the wild[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The resinous fruits are used for medicinal purposes[].

Other Uses

The latex, obtained by tapping the trunk, is used for the production of chewing gum, celluloid, linoleum and the insulation of electric cables[]. Beside this it serves as admixture for cement, paints and paper[]. The latex has a number of speciality uses such as pattern making in foundry work, for drawing boards, pencils, picture frames, dowels, carving, blackboards, wooden toys, clogs, brush handles and battery separators, and it is also used for furniture parts, door knobs, ceilings, partitioning, matchsticks, matchboxes and packing cases[].

The resinous fruits serve as torches[]. They are also burnt to repel mosquitoes[].

The roots are used as a substitute for cork[, ].

The heartwood is creamy white to pale straw coloured with the frequent presence of large latex canals; it is not differentiated from the sapwood. The grain is mostly straight; texture moderately fine and even; slightly lustrous; without taste but with a slight sour odour that is distinctive. The wood is very light in weight; soft; it is not durable, being susceptible to fungi, dry wood borers and termites. It seasons rapidly with only a slight risk of checking or distortion; once dry it is stable in service. The wood works easily with hand and machine tools, but they need to be kept very sharp in order to obtain a smooth finish; latex in the wood may clog the sawteeth; nailing and screwing are poor; gluing is correct. The wood is excellent for carving and is also used, among other things, for making patterns, pencils, matches, match-boxes, boxes and crates, furniture components, interior joinery and panelling, drawing boards, blockboard and veneer[, , ].

Propagation

Seed - the small seed has a limited viability of less than a year. Pre-treatment is not necessary, but soaking the seed in water for 12 hours prior to sowing can speed up the germination process[]. Germination rates are usually good, with 80 - 90% of the seeds sprouting. Seedlings can be potted up when the first pair of leaves has emerged and planted out when 30cm tall.

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