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Hopea odorata Roxb.
| Family Name: | Dipterocarpaceae |
| Common Name: | Chengal Pasir, Chengal Mas |
Hopea odorata, also known as Chengal Pasir, is a tree that can reach up to 40 m tall. It has small, cream-yellow coloured flowers and winged fruits. The tree is valued for its merawan timber, which is widely used for construction in the region as well as for making plywood, veneer, shoe and boot lasts, and rollers in the textile industry. It produces low quality resin which is traditionally used by villagers in Myanmar as a varnish and for caulking boats.
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Tree |
| Lifespan (in Singapore) | Perennial |
| Mode of Nutrition | Autotrophic |
| Maximum Height | 40 m |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Bangladesh, Andaman Islands, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
| Local Conservation Status | Non-native (Horticultural / Cultivated Only) |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | It is a tree that can grow up to 40 m tall and develops buttresses. The bark is dark brown, initially irregularly fissured and becoming scaly over time. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | The leaves are ovate to ovate-lanceolate, measuring 7 – 14 cm long and 3 – 7 cm wide and can be slightly sickle-shaped (falcate). The underside of the leaves is mostly hairless (glabrous to glabrescent). Each leaf has 9 – 12 pairs of lateral veins. The leaf tip can be acuminate with the tip up to 1.5 cm long. The leaf base can be broadly cuneate to slightly asymmetrical. Domatia occur along the midrib. They are not covered with hairs and have a small pore-like opening. The leaf stalk (petiole) is 1 – 1.6 cm long. The stipule is linear, small (up to 0.2 cm long) and falls off early. |
| Flowers | The flowers occur in a cluster (panicle) at the axis or terminal end of the branches. Each inflorescence is up to 12 cm long and bearing up to 9 flowers. The flowers are small, with cream-yellow petals. Each flower has numerous stamens. The connective appendage is as long as the anthers. The ovary is ovoid. |
| Fruit | The fruit is winged and dry. Each fruit comprises of two longer calyx lobes, measuring up to 5.5 cm long and 2 cm wide, three shorter lobes (up to 0.4 cm long and 0.4 cm wide) and one oval-shaped nut (up to 0.6 cm long and 0.5 cm wide). |
| Habitat | It is found in rainforests along river banks, up to 900 m altitude, and occasionally in coastal forests and peat swamp forests. |
| Associated Fauna | The flowers are pollinated by insects. |
| Cultivation | It grows best in fertile, well-drained soil that is kept moist. Mulch the trees to conserve soil moisture. It is susceptible to attack by leaf chewers, stem borers and a seed-feeding weevil (Nanophyes). |
| Etymology | The genus Hopea commemorates John Hope (1725-1768), the first Regius Keeper of the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Timber & Products: It produces merawan timber which is widely used for construction such as flooring, shipbuilding, bridges, piles, as well as for making plywood, veneer, shoe and boot lasts, and rollers in the textile industry. The tree produces low quality resin (dammar) which is traditionally used by villagers in Myanmar as a varnish and for caulking boats. Cultural / Religious: Heritage Tree: There is currently 1 individual of Hopea odorata listed as Heritage Tree in Singapore. This tree can be found in Singapore Botanic Gardens. To find out more about this tree, please visit the Heritage Tree Register. |
Landscaping Features
| Desirable Plant Features | Ornamental Fruits |
|---|---|
| Landscape Uses | Suitable for Roadsides, Parks & Gardens, Small Gardens, Riverine, Pond / Lake / River, Shade Providing Tree / Palm |
Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal
| Pollination Method(s) | Biotic (Fauna) |
|---|---|
| Seed or Spore Dispersal | Abiotic |
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Moderate |
| Rootzone Tolerance | Moist Soils, Well-Drained Soils |
| Propagation Method | Seed |
Foliar
| Foliage Retention | Evergreen |
|---|---|
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
| Mature Foliage Texture(s) | Smooth |
| Foliar Type | Simple / Unifoliate |
| Foliar Arrangement Along Stem | Alternate |
| Foliar Attachment to Stem | Petiolate |
| Foliar Shape(s) | Non-Palm Foliage (Ovate, Lanceolate) |
| Foliar Venation | Pinnate / Net |
| Foliar Margin | Entire |
| Foliar Apex - Tip | Acuminate |
| Foliar Base | Cuneate |
| Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio | 3.0 (Tree - Intermediate Canopy) |
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower & Plant Sexuality | Bisexual Flowers |
| Flower Colour(s) | Yellow / Golden |
|---|---|
| Flower Grouping | Cluster / Inflorescence |
| Flower Location | Axillary, Terminal |
| Inflorescence Type | Panicle |
| Flowering Period | Every Few Years |
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Mature Fruit Colour(s) | Brown |
|---|---|
| Mature Fruit Texture(s) | Smooth |
| Seed Quantity Per Fruit | Few (1-5) |
References
| References | Ashton, P.S. (1982). Dipterocarpaceae. In: van Steenis, C.G.G.J. (ed.) Flora Malesiana, ser.1, vol. 9, part 2, pp. 237–552, 575–600. The Hague/Boston/London: Martinus Nijhoff/Dr. W. Junk Publishers Lemmens, R.H.M.J. and Soerianegara, I. (eds). (1993). Plant Resources of South-East Asia Volume 5 (1). Timber trees: Major commercial timbers. Indonesia: Prosea Foundation. 610 pages. Pooma, R., Poopath, M. & Newman, M.F. (2017). Dipterocarpaceae. In: Santisuk, T. & Balsev, H. (eds) Flora of Thailand, vol. 13, part 4, pp. 557–685. Bangkok: The Forest Herbarium, Royal Forest Department. |
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Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 1666 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 2959 |
| Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |
