Dialium kunstleri
Prain
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 can grow 50 m high. The leaves are alternate and compound. The flowers are 9 mm across. They are white. They are in branched flower arrangements. The fruit are about 3 cm across. The are fleshy and bluish-black. The pods are filled with pulp.
Edible Uses
Fruit. The fruit is a blue-black, fleshy, glabrous seedpod about 32mm in diameter, filled with an edible pulp.
Distribution
It is a tropical plant. It grows in mixed forests up to 400 m altitude. It can grow in sandy or clay soils. It grows in Borneo.
Where It Grows
Asia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sarawak, SE Asia,
Cultivation
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby.
Other Uses
This tree is one of several species yielding a timber known as 'Keranji'. The general description of this wood is as follows:- The heartwood is golden-brown or red-brown; clearly demarcated from the white to yellowish sapwood. The texture is fine to moderately coarse and even; the grain interlocked or wavy. The wood is heavy; moderately durable but the sapwood is susceptible to insect and fungal attack. It can be easy to very difficult to resaw and cross-cut depending on the species; planing is easy to slightly difficult, and the planed surface is moderately smooth; nailing property is good. The wood is suitable for heavy construction, flooring, handles for striking tools and batons.
Notes
Also as Caesalpinaceae.
Synonyms
Also Known As
Keranji, Keranji kijang, Kuranji, Mawang choli, Meliwodong
References (4)
- 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 168
- Kebler, P. J. A., & Kidiyasa, 1994, Trees of the Balikpapan-Samarinda area of East Kalimantan, Indonesia. The Tropenbos Foundation, Wageningen, The Netherlands. p 72 (As var. trifoliolatum)
- Septiani, Y. & Sidabutar, H., (Eds.) 2015, Biodiversity Survey. In the Sub Watershed Embaloh, Betung Kerihun National Park. ITTO p 82
- Slik, F., www.asianplant.net
