Litsea leytensis (PROSEA)
Introduction |
Litsea leytensis Merr.
- Protologue: Philipp. Journ. Sci., Bot. 10: 272 (1915).
Synonyms
Litsea obtusata (Meissn.) Fernandez-Villar (1880).
Vernacular names
- Philippines: batikuling (general), balbonera, magarilau (Tagalog).
Distribution
The Philippines.
Uses
L. leytensis is an important source of medang in the Philippines. The wood is especially suitable for carving and pattern making. It has been widely used for ceilings and partitioning, and is easily converted into boards.
Observations
A medium-sized tree up to 25 m tall, bole straight, cylindrical, up to 80 cm in diameter, with small buttresses, bark surface pale brown to grey; leaves alternate, 16-30 cm × 5.5-7 cm, blunt to rounded or slightly emarginate, glabrous, midrib raised above, with c. 11 pairs of secondary veins which are prominent above, tertiary venation reticulate, not prominent below, petiole 2-3 cm long; flowers in umbellules arranged in 5-10 cm long racemes on short peduncles on the bare twigs, with 6 tepals and 12 stamens; fruit ellipsoid-ovoid, c. 3 cm × 2 cm, covered up to halfway by the perianth cup. L. leytensis has become rare and occurs in forest at low and medium altitudes. The density of the wood is about 420 kg/m3at 15% moisture content. See also the table on wood properties.
Selected sources
124, 125, 316, 414, 421, 426, 484, 527, 626.