Common Name:

General Information

Shorea falcifera is a tree with a diffuse, hemispherical crown; it can grow up to 45 metres tall. The straight, cylindrical bole can be up to 140cm in diameter with fairly thin buttresses up to 150cm high[, ].
The tree is a source of the timber 'Red Balau' and is commonly harvested from the wild for commercial use.
This lowland species cannot withstand logging because of its slow growth. The plant is classified as 'Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Southeast Asia - Malaysia, Indonesia.

Habitat

A canopy or emergent tree, locally abundant in mixed dipterocarp forests where it grows on dry hillslopes near the coast on sandy, often rocky soils; at elevations up to 200 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Endangered
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	35.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A slow-growing tree[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The wood is a source of the timber 'Red Balau'[]. We do not have a specific description, but the general description of red balau is as follows:-

The heartwood is light to dark red-brown, or purplish red-brown to grey-brown; it is clearly demarcated from the 3 - 8cm wide band of sapwood. The texture is medium; the grain interlocked. The wood is heavy, hard, moderately durable, being resistant to dry wood borers and moderately resistant to fungi and termites. The wood seasons slowly with a high risk of distortion and checking; once dry it is moderately stable in service. It has a fairly high blunting effect upon tools, power-driven stellite-tipped and tungsten carbite tools are recommended; nailing and screwing are good, but pre-boring is necessary to avoid splitting; gluing is correct for interior purposes[]. The wood has a variety of uses including light construction, flooring, exterior joinery, musical instruments, boxes and crates etc[].

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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