Common Name: Red Meranti

General Information

Red meranti is an emergent tree of the rainforest with a wide, umbrella-shaped crown; it can grow up to 54 metres tall[]. The bole, which can be free of branches for up to 35 metres, is up to 161 cm in diameter with stout buttresses up to 2 metres high[, , ].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its resin and its timber. The wood is a source of 'light red meranti' timber and is sometimes traded[].
The tree has suffered a massive population reduction, mainly because of the rates of exploitation of its light red meranti timber[]. It has been listed as 'Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2010)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Southeast Asia - Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia.

Habitat

An emergent tree in undisturbed mixed dipterocarp forests up to elevations of 700 metres. Found on alluvial and dry sites (hillsides and ridges) on clayey to sandy soils, also on limestone. The plant colonises gap openings in disturbed forests[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Endangered
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	45.00 m
Pollinators	Thrips
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of moist to wet lowland tropical areas, where it is found at elevations up to 700 metres. It grows best in areas where the mean annual rainfall is in the range 1,500 - 3,500mm per year and there is a short dry period which is conducive for its growth and regeneration[].
Found growing in the wild on alluvial and dry sites (hillsides and ridges) on clayey to sandy soils, also on limestone[, ]. It can grow on a variety of soils but does not tolerate waterlogged sites, especially peat soils[].
The plant is seldom found on ridges, and plantation trials have shown that it grows better in the foothills than on ridge tops[].
This is the fastest growing species of red meranti up to the twentieth year, but is later surpassed by other species[].
The seeds take about 14 weeks to mature from flowering[]. If a dry spell occurs during this period, fruit fall is delayed and the fruits are not well developed[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The resin obtained from the tree is used medicinally[, ].

Other Uses

The stem contains a resin known as 'Dammar Batu'[, ].
Dammar is a hard resin, obtained from various trees of Southeast Asia. Traditionally, it is used for purposes such as caulking boats and baskets, as an adhesive, a medicine, as a fuel for torches and sometimes in foods. Dammar has many commercial applications, though many of these uses are less important nowadays due to the advent of synthetic materials. Commercially, it is an ingredient of inks, lacquers, oil paints, varnishes etc, and is used as a glazing agent in foods[].
Harvesting of the resin commences when the bole is around 25cm in diameter (approx 20 years old). Triangular cuts (becoming circular with age) are arranged in vertical rows around the trunk. The cuts are several centimetres wide at first, but become enlarged at every tapping and eventually become holes of 15 - 20cm in depth and width. The average number of holes for a tree about 30 metres tall and 60 - 80cm in diameter is 9 - 11 in each of 4 - 5 vertical rows. For the higher holes, the tapper climbs the tree supported by a rattan belt and using the lower holes as footholds.
The exuded resin is allowed to dry on the tree before it is collected. The frequency with which the tree is visited to refreshen the cut varies from once a week to once a month, depending on how far the tree is from the village. Tapping can continue for 30 years[].

The bark is a source of tannins[].

The heartwood is light red or pink brown; it is distinctly demarcated from the lighter coloured sapwood. The texture is coarse but even; the grain interlocked or wavy; there is a stripe figure on radial surfaces. The wood is not durable and is susceptible to termite attacks. It is easy to saw, plane, bore and turn. 'Pick-up' of grain may occur on planed quarter sawn surface, otherwise the finish is smooth. Nailing property is good. The wood is suitable for joinery, utility furniture, shop and office fittings, show cases, counter tops, panelling, ceiling, light-duty flooring and interior partitions. Also suitable for sliced and rotary-cut veneer[, , ].

Propagation

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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