Shorea obtusa

Shorea obtusa
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Malvales
Family: Dipterocarpaceae
Genus: Shorea
Species: S. obtusa
Binomial name
Shorea obtusa
Wall

Shorea obtusa, also commercially known known as "Taengwood ‘Balau’", is a species of tree in the Dipterocarpaceae family.

Contents

Distribution and habitat

It is found in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.

It grows in relatively dry areas, often sharing the same habitat with Dipterocarpus obtusifolius, as well as oaks Quercus kerrii, Q. kingiana, and pines, up to 1,300 m altitude.

Description

Shorea obtusa is a deciduous tropical tree, a hardwood species of commercial importance. It flowers from January to July. It grows stunted in savannas.[1]

Names

This tree is known in the Thai language as เต็ง (teng), as ngae (แงะ) in the north and as จิก (chik) in Isaan. In Khmer it is known as ประจั๊ต (pra-chat) or ประเจิ๊ก (pra-choek) in the Surin and Buri Ram areas.[2] In other languages it is known as thitya, phchok and chaf.

References