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Useful Tropical Plants

Elaeocarpus obtusus

Blume

Elaeocarpaceae

+ Synonyms

Elaeocarpus apiculatus Mast.

Elaeocarpus rugosus singaporensis Ridl.

Monocera obtusa Hassk.

Common Name:

Elaeocarpus obtusus
Trunk
Photograph by: Reuben C. J. Lim
Creative Commons License
Elaeocarpus obtusus Elaeocarpus obtusus Elaeocarpus obtusus Elaeocarpus obtusus Elaeocarpus obtusus Elaeocarpus obtusus Elaeocarpus obtusus

General Information

Elaeocarpus obtusus is an evergreen tree with buttresses that can be up to 5 metres high.
The tree is harvested from the wild for its wood, which is traded. This species is one of the main sources of 'sengkurat' timber in Malaysia[
996
Title
A Dictionary of Malaysian Timbers
Publication
Malayan Forest Records No. 30
Author
Wong T.M.
Website
http://Elaeocarpaceae
Publisher
Forest Research Institute Malaysia; Kuala Lumpur
Year
2002
ISBN
983-2181-29-1
Description
A fairly comprehensive guide to Malaysian timbers, giving their properties and the main tree species from which they are obtained.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References


Range

Southeast Asia - Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines.

Habitat

Open places and along the sea coast.

Properties

Other Uses Rating *  *  *
HabitEvergreen Tree
Height0.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details


We have no specific information for this species, but members of this genus generally grow well in full sun to moderate shade, requiring a fertile, moist but well-drained soil[
974
Title
Encyclopedia of Tropical Plants - Identification and Cultivation of over 3,000 Tropical Plants
Publication
 
Author
Ahmed Fayaz
Publisher
Firefly Books Ltd.; New Zealand
Year
2011
ISBN
978-1-55407-489
Description
A good photograph and terse but detailed information for over 3,000 species of tropical plants. An excellent reference.
].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The heartwood is light-yellowish white to pink-brown, it is not distinctly demarcated from the sapwood. The texture is moderately fine and even, with straight to shallowly interlocked grain. The wood is soft to moderately hard; light in weight to moderately heavy; weak; not very durable. It seasons fairly slowly with slight end and surface checking; shrinkage is fairly low. It is easy to resaw and cross-cut; planing is easy and leaves a moderately smooth finish; nailing properties are good. A general purpose wood, it is suitable for purposes such as general planking, shuttering, boxes, crates, wooden pallets, match splints, veneer and plywood[
996
Title
A Dictionary of Malaysian Timbers
Publication
Malayan Forest Records No. 30
Author
Wong T.M.
Website
http://Elaeocarpaceae
Publisher
Forest Research Institute Malaysia; Kuala Lumpur
Year
2002
ISBN
983-2181-29-1
Description
A fairly comprehensive guide to Malaysian timbers, giving their properties and the main tree species from which they are obtained.
].

Propagation

The seed of most species in this genus is covered by a hard, woody shell and can be very slow and erratic to germinate, sometimes taking 2 years or more. Filing down the shell, or cracking it (being very careful not to damage the seed) in order to allow the ingress of moisture can help to greatly speed up germination. Sow the seed in containers in light shade. When the seedlings are large enough to handle, prick them out into individual pots and grow them on until large enough to plant out,
Cuttings of almost ripe shoots, in a sandy soil in a frame. The leaves should be left on the stem.[
1
Title
RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
Publication
 
Author
F. Chittendon.
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Year
1951
ISBN
-
Description
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
,
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Many species strike readily from cuttings.
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-10-08. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Elaeocarpus+obtusus>

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