Intsia bijuga (PROSEA)

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Plant Resources of South-East Asia
Introduction
List of species


Intsia bijuga (Colebr.) O. Kuntze

Protologue: Revis. gen. pl. 1: 192 (1891).

Synonyms

  • Intsia amboinensis DC. (1826),
  • Afzelia bijuga (Colebr.) A. Gray (1854),
  • Intsia retusa (Kurz) O. Kuntze (1891).

Vernacular names

  • Indonesia: merbau asam (Kalimantan), ipi (Lesser Sunda Islands)
  • Malaysia: merbau ipil (Sarawak, Sabah), kayu besi (Peninsular)
  • Papua New Guinea: kwila, pas
  • Philippines: ipil, ipil laut (Pilipino)
  • Cambodia: krâkâs prêk
  • Thailand: lumpho-thale (Surat Thani), pradu-thale (central)
  • Vietnam: gõ nước (general), bần ôi (southern).

Distribution

From Tanzania and Madagascar through southern India and Burma, towards Malesia, northern Australia and Polynesia.

Uses

I. bijuga is an important source of merbau timber. Bark and leaves are used medicinally and the seeds can be eaten after careful preparation.

Observations

  • A medium-sized to large tree up to 50 m tall, bole branchless for up to 20 m and up to 160(-250) cm in diameter.
  • Leaves with 2(-3) pairs of leaflets, leaflets thinly leathery with an acute to cuneate base and an acute to emarginate apex, 3.5-11 cm × 1.5-8 cm.
  • Flowers white or pink.

I. bijuga occurs most frequently in coastal forests and along tidal rivers but is also found inland up to 600 m altitude. The density of the wood is 630-1040 kg/m3 at 15% moisture content. See also the table on wood properties.

Selected sources

35, 67, 89, 97, 100, 102, 113, 151, 175, 184, 235, 316, 318, 362, 395, 408, 462, 477, 579, 626, 725, 750, 799.

Main genus page

Authors

  • M.S.M. Sosef (selection of species)