Teijsmanniodendron (PROSEA)
Introduction |
Teijsmanniodendron Koord.
- Protologue: Ann. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg 19: 19 (1904).
- Family: Verbenaceae
- Chromosome number: x= unknown; 2n= unknown
Vernacular names
- Brunei: kulimpapa
- Malaysia: buak-buak, leban (Sabah), entapuloh (Peninsular)
- Papua New Guinea: Papua New Guinea lapome.
Origin and geographic distribution
Teijsmanniodendron comprises about 14 species occurring in southern Vietnam, peninsular Thailand, and almost throughout the Malesian region (except for Java and the Lesser Sunda Islands) towards the Solomon Islands. Borneo has the highest number of species (12).
Uses
The wood of Teijsmanniodendron is used for general purposes, house construction under cover (rafters, posts), interior work, salt-water piling, telegraph poles, light framing, moulding, concrete shuttering, formwork and boxes and crates. It yields a good fuel.
T. pteropodum has ornamental potential. In Java fruits of T. pteropodum have been used medicinally, both internally and externally, for intestinal complaints.
Production and international trade
Supplies of Teijsmanniodendron wood are limited, trees are small and it is likely that it is occasionally sold in mixed consignments of medium hardwood. In 1996 Papua New Guinea exported about 4930 m3of "Papua New Guinea lapome" logs at an average free-on-board (FOB) price of US$ 97/m3.
Properties
Teijsmanniodendron yields a lightweight to heavy hardwood with a density of (335-)430-940(-1290) kg/m3, ranging from 335-560 kg/m3for T. bogoriense to 900-1290 kg/m3for T. ahernianum . Heartwood pale yellowish-brown, pale brown to golden brown, pale grey, turning dark to blackish-brown upon exposure, indistinct to fairly distinct from the pale to yellow sapwood; grain straight or shallowly interlocked; texture fine to moderately fine and even; wood of T. ahernianum lustrous. Growth rings mostly indistinct, sometimes boundaries indicated by narrow layers of apparently marginal parenchyma (septate fibres with vitreous silica); vessels moderately small to moderately large, solitary and in radial multiples of 2-3, usually open, with few chalky-white deposits and abundant tyloses in T. ahernianum ; parenchyma sparse or absent, in apparent narrow marginal bands in T. bogoriense , usually only scanty paratracheal and sometimes vasicentric, occasionally apotracheal diffuse evident, but this results from septate fibres occasionally containing vitreous silica; rays very fine to moderately broad; ripple marks absent.
Shrinkage of at least the lighter timbers is low, but that of T. ahernianum from green to oven-dry is very high. The wood generally seasons without serious defects, although the harder wood is liable to checking and splitting. The wood is soft and weak (e.g. T. bogoriense ) to extremely hard and very strong ( T. ahernianum ). It saws and works reasonably well and can be planed to a relatively smooth surface but sharp tools are required. The wood is siliceous. Related to the density the wood is non-durable to very durable when exposed to the weather or in contact with the ground. The wood of T. bogoriense is highly susceptible to blue stain. The average service life of test stakes of T. ahernianum in a graveyard test in the Philippines was 11 years and 6 months. The heartwood of T. ahernianum is very resistant to dry-wood termites. The sapwood of Teijsmanniodendron is non-susceptible to Lyctus . The wood is highly resistant to pressure treatment.
See also the tables on microscopic wood anatomy and wood properties.
Botany
Small to medium-sized trees up to 30 m tall; bole straight or slightly sinuous, branchless for up to 15(-20) m, up to 50(-120) cm in diameter; sometimes fluted or with buttresses up to 1.5 m high; bark surface smooth to slightly fissured, sometimes lenticellate, scaly or flaking in long thin pieces, grey to pale yellowish-grey, inner bark granular, yellow, turning green upon exposure, without exudate. Leaves decussate, simple or palmately compound; leaflets entire; petiole and petiolules generally swollen upwards, petiole occasionally winged; stipules absent. Inflorescence axillary and terminal, composed of cymes combined into a lax panicle. Flowers bisexual, sessile or on a short stalk; calyx campanulate, 5-toothed; corolla with a short tube, 2-lipped, upper lip 2-lobed or entire, lower lip 3-lobed; stamens 4(-5), inserted on the corolla tube, generally of 2 lengths, exserted; ovary superior, incompletely 2-locular, each locule incompletely 2-celled and with 2 ovules, style 1, 2-fid. Fruit a 1-seeded, dry drupe with persistent calyx. Seed without endosperm. Seedling with epigeal germination; cotyledons emergent, leafy; hypocotyl elongated; all leaves opposite, conduplicate.
An individual 23-year-old T. pteropodum tree in the arboretum of the Forest Research Institute Malaysia, Kepong had attained 22.6 cm in diameter and 16 m in height. T. bogoriense is evergreen. Cultivated specimens in Bogor (Java) produced most new leaves in January and flowered from November to December, ripe fruits were observed in December and January. Flowers are protandrous and pollination is by insects. Ants may build their nests between the winged petioles of T. pteropodum .
Teijsmanniodendron is closely related to Vitex but the latter does not have swollen petioles and petiolules, and its fruit contains a 4-celled pyrene.
Ecology
Teijsmanniodendron is found in primary, lowland rain forest, often near streams or rivers, or in swampy localities, up to 800 m altitude.
Silviculture Teijsmanniodendron can be propagated by seed. Sown fruits of T. coriaceum show 95-100% germination in 14-49 days, those of T. pteropodum have about 85% germination in 33-152 days although 1 collection of fruits showed only 8% germination. Seeds of T. pteropodum show complete germination in 22-125 days.
Genetic resources and breeding
Most Teijsmanniodendron species are fairly widespread but rare. As they are seldom harvested, they do not seem endangered.
Prospects
As supplies are limited it is unlikely that Teijsmanniodendron timber will be increasingly used in the near future.
Literature
70, 93, 151, 163, 182, 267, 300, 304, 346, 436, 437, 464, 553, 592, 598, 612, 648, 653, 740, 741, 780, 829, 831, 832, 933, 934, 955, 974, 1038, 1086, 1221, 1232, 1242.