Shorea beccariana
Burck.
Langgai meranti tree
gbif· cc0
President and Fellows of Harvard College
gbif· cc0
President and Fellows of Harvard College
gbif· cc0
President and Fellows of Harvard College
Description
A tree. It grows 60 m tall. The trunk can be 110 cm across. It has buttresses up to 1.5 m tall. The leaves are simple and alternate. They are oval and 11-20 cm long by 6-7 cm wide. They are leathery and have golden scales underneath. There are 11-14 pairs of secondary veins. The flowers are pink and in groups in the axils of leaves or at the ends of branches. The fruit is a broadly oval nut. It has 3 long calyx lobes 19 cm long by 2.7 cm wide and 2 shorter lobes.
Edible Uses
The nuts are processed for fat and oil.
Medicinal Uses
Plants can be grown from seeds.
Distribution
It is a tropical plant. It grows in lowland forests and on sandstone ridges up to 1,350 m above sea level.
Where It Grows
Asia, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sarawak, SE Asia,
Cultivation
Plants can be grown from seeds.
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.
Other Uses
The tree is a source of 'light red meranti' timber. We do not have a specific description for the wood of this species, but a general description of light red meranti is as follows:- The heartwood is light red to pink or pink-brown, with white resin streaks; it is clearly demarcated from the 5 - 8cm wide band of sapwood. The texture is medium; the grain interlocked with a ribbon-like aspect; the surface is lustrous. The wood is light in weight, soft, moderately durable, being resistant to dry wood borers, somewhat resistant to fungi and susceptible to termites. The wood seasons well with a slight risk of checking or distortion; once dry it is stable to moderately stable in service. The wood works well with normal tools, though the tools need to be kept sharp because it has a tendency towards woolliness; it generally finishes fairly well, though filling is recommended; screwing and nailing are good; gluing is correct. The wood is used for several purposes including interior and exterior panelling and joinery, light carpentry, boxes and crates, veneer etc.
Also Known As
Angkabang langgai, Engkabang langgai, Pohon meranti langgai
References (4)
- Blicher-Mathiesen, U., 1994, Borneo Illipe, A Fat Product from Different Shorea spp. (Dipterocarpaceae). Economic Botany Vol. 48, No. 3, pp. 231-242
- Chai, P. P. K. (Ed), et al, 2000, A checklist of Flora, Fauna, Food and Medicinal Plants. Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary, Sarawak. Forestry Malaysia & ITTO. p 171
- Coolen, Q. T., 2013, The Illipe nut (Shorea spp.) as additional resource in plantation forestry. Van Hall Larenstein University and Sarawak Forestry.
- Sukarya, D. G., (Ed.) 2013, 3,500 Plant Species of the Botanic Gardens of Indonesia. LIPI p 508
