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Hopea sangal Korth.
| Family Name: | Dipterocarpaceae |
| Common Name: | Mersiput, Chengal Pasir, Merawan, Damar Siput |
Hopea sangal, also known as Mersiput, is a critically endangered tree in Singapore that can reach up to 40 m tall. It has small, cream-coloured flowers and winged fruits. The tree is valued for its merawan timber, which is widely used for construction in the region. The tree produces opaque, cream-white resin which is used to make varnish and also traditionally used by local villagers for torches and 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 |
| Plant Shape | Irregular |
| Maximum Height | 40 m |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Myanmar, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Borneo |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial (Primary Rainforest, Riverine) |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
| Local Conservation Status | Native to Singapore (Critically Endangered (CR)) |
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 and scaly. When cut, the sapwood may exude an opaque, cream-white resin. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | The leaves are ovate, measuring 5.5 – 10 cm long and 3.5 – 5 cm wide. Each leaf has 10 – 12 pairs of lateral veins. The underside of the leaves are covered with minute tomentose hairs. The leaf tip can be acute, acuminate or caudate, with the tip up to 1 – 1.2 cm long. The leaf base can be broadly cuneate to obtuse or slightly asymmetrical. Domatia may or may not be present and, when present, are covered with hairs. The leaf stalk (petiole) is 0.5 – 1 cm long and densely covered with hairs. The stipule is linear, small (up to 0.3 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 7 cm long and bearing up to 8 flowers. The flowers are small, with cream-coloured petals. Each flower has numerous stamens with oblong anthers. The connective appendage is as long as the anthers. The ovary is broadly cylindrical. |
| Fruit | The fruit is winged and dry. Each fruit comprises of two longer calyx lobes, measuring up to 7 cm long and 1.5 cm wide, three shorter lobes (up to 0.7 cm long and 0.4 cm wide) and one oval-shaped nut (up to 0.7 cm long and 0.4 cm wide). |
| Habitat | It is found in rainforests, along river banks and on hillsides. |
| Associated Fauna | The flowers are pollinated by insects. |
| Cultivation | It can be propagated by seed. |
| Etymology | The genus Hopea commemorates John Hope (1725-1768), the first Regius Keeper of the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh. The specific epithet is from the Dayak name in Kalimantan. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Timber & Products: It produces merawan timber that is prized regionally for construction, such as joists, beams, house construction, door and window frames. The tree produces opaque, cream-white resin (dammar) which is used to make varnish and also traditionally used by local villagers for torches and caulking boats. |
Landscaping Features
| Landscape Uses | Parks & Gardens |
|---|
Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal
| Pollination Method(s) | Biotic (Fauna) |
|---|---|
| Seed or Spore Dispersal | Abiotic |
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun, Semi-Shade |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Moderate |
| Rootzone Tolerance | Moist Soils, Well-Drained Soils, Fertile Loamy Soils |
| Propagation Method | Seed |
Foliar
| Foliage Retention | Evergreen |
|---|---|
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
| Mature Foliage Texture(s) | Thin |
| Foliar Type | Simple / Unifoliate |
| Foliar Arrangement Along Stem | Alternate |
| Foliar Attachment to Stem | Petiolate |
| Foliar Shape(s) | Non-Palm Foliage (Ovate) |
| Foliar Venation | Pinnate / Net |
| Foliar Margin | Entire |
| Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio | 3.0 (Tree - Intermediate Canopy) |
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower & Plant Sexuality | Bisexual Flowers |
| Flower Colour(s) | Cream / Off-White, Yellow / Golden |
|---|---|
| Flower Grouping | Cluster / Inflorescence |
| Flower Location | Axillary, Terminal |
| Flower Symmetry | Radial |
| Inflorescence Type | Panicle |
| Flowering Period | Every Few Years |
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Mature Fruit Colour(s) | Brown |
|---|---|
| Fruit Classification | Simple Fruit |
| Fruit Type | Indehiscent Dry Fruit , Nut / Nutlet |
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. Ashton, P.S. (2004). Dipterocarpaceae. In: Soepadmo, E., Saw L.G. & Chung, R.C.K. (eds) Tree Flora of Sabah Sarawak, vol. 5, pp. 1–61. Malaysia: Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)/Sabah Forestry Department/Sarawak Forestry Department. 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 | 1668 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 2961 |
| 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. |
