Common Name: Red Lauan

General Information

Red lauan is a large evergreen tree that can grow up to 50 metres tall[]. It has a prominently buttressed bole that can be branchless for 20 - 30 metres with a diameter of up to 200 cm[].
The wood is a valuable export timber in the Philippines[]. It can be grown to stabilize the soil and restore native woodland.
The tree is becoming rare in the wild due to habitat loss and overexploitation - it has been classified as 'Critically Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2010)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Southeast Asia - Malaysia, Philippines

Habitat

Occurs gregariously in evergreen and seasonal dipterocarp forests at low altitudes[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Critically Endangered
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	40.00 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the moist, lowland tropics where it is found at elevations from sea level to 1,000 metres[]. It grows in areas where the mean annual rainfall is within the range 1,200 - 2,700mm, and the mean annual temperature can range from 21 - 34°c[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

It is reported that extracts of the wood are tumour-inhibiting[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree is important in protecting watershed areas, and has potential in reforestation schemes[].
The leaf litter, on decay, improves soil quality[].
The species is promising for agroforestry - in experiments S. negrosensis sawdust extracts did not show allelopathic effects on rice and trifoliate orange[].

Other Uses

The bark contains 9 - 10% tannin[].

The heartwood is red-brown; it is clearly demarcated from the 5 - 6cm wide band of sapwood. The texture is medium; the grain interlocked with a visible silver figure and the presence of white lines (resin canals); there is a slight lustre. The wood ranges from soft to fairly hard; it is of medium weight; moderately durable, being fairly resistant to fungi, dry wood borers and termites. The drying rate is normal to slow, there is a slight risk of distortion or checking, but once dry it is stable in service. The wood works well with normal tools; there is a tendency to tear in planing if tools are not kept sharp; pre-boring is necessary when screwing or nailing; it glues correct. The wood is used in a wide range of applications including interior and exterior panelling, joinery, furniture, cabinetwork, carpentry, flooring, stairs, ship building, boxes and crates, veneer[]. It is commonly used as a compression member in timber framed structures, and is used in making fencing material[].
The tree yields a pulp with high over-all strength properties[].

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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