Common Name:

General Information

Shorea falciferoides is a tree with a sparse, irregularly hemispherical crown; it can grow up to 50 metres tall. The bole can be straight or mis-shapen, it is up to 110cm in diameter, with thin, spreading buttresses up to 3 metres high[, , ].
The tree is a source of the timber 'Red Balau' and is commonly harvested from the wild for commercial use.
This slow growing species cannot reach reproductive maturity between logging cycles and is therefore threatened by logging activities. The plant is classified as 'Critically Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Southeast Asia - Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia (all only on the island of Borneo), Philippines.

Habitat

Mixed dipterocarp forest, often on clay-rich soils, at elevations up to 1,000 metres. It is more or less confined to ridge tops when growing in the everwet areas[, ].

Properties

Conservation Status	Critically Endangered
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	40.00 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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