Diospyros areolata (PROSEA)
Introduction |
Diospyros areolata King & Gamble
- Protologue: Journ. As. Soc. Beng. pt. 2, Nat. Hist. 74 (extra numb.): 228 (1905).
Synonyms
Diospyros pseudomalabarica Bakh. (1933).
Vernacular names
- Malaysia: kayu arang
- Thailand: phlap, maphlap (general).
Distribution
Peninsular Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia.
Uses
The wood is reputed to be used as ebony. The fruits are used to dye nets and clothes in Thailand.
Observations
A large tree up to 50 m tall, bole up to 70 cm in diameter, bark surface smooth to scaly-dippled, grey, brown, or black; leaves oblong, elliptical-oblong or ovate-oblong, 6.5-21 cm × 2.5-7 cm, base acute to rounded, apex acute to slightly acuminate, glabrous or pilose only on the midrib below, tertiary veins closely reticulate, prominent on both surfaces; male flowers in 3-flowered cymes, 4-merous, stamens about 21; female flowers solitary, 4-5-merous, calyx lobes valvate, hairy on both sides, corolla divided almost to the base, staminodes 8-12, ovary with 1 style with 4 or 5 stigmas and 8 or 10 uni-ovulate locules; fruit globose to ovoid, 3-5 cm × 2.5-3.5 cm, glabrous. D. areolata is uncommon, occurring scattered in primary lowland and hill forest, often along the periphery of mangrove vegetation, up to 700 m altitude.
Selected sources
42, 457, 495, 575, 705.