Dryobalanops
Encyclopedia
Dryobalanops is a genus of flowering plant
s and the genus of family Dipterocarpaceae
. The name Dryobalanops is derived from Greek
(dryas = a nymph associated with oaks and balanops = acorn) and describes the acorn-like nut. The genus has seven species, confined to the tropical forests of West Malesia
(Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo). It is among the most abundant species of emergent trees in these forests, growing up to 80m tall.
The genus is of considerable importance as timber trees and sold under the trade name Kapur
. The timber is an important heavy and durable construction timber. D. aromatica was an important source of camphor
.
As the trees mature, they mutually avoid touching each other. See an image at the Magnum Photos Website.
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
s and the genus of family Dipterocarpaceae
Dipterocarpaceae
Dipterocarpaceae is a family of 17 genera and approximately 500 species of mainly tropical lowland rainforest trees. The family name, from the type genus Dipterocarpus, is derived from Greek and refers to the two-winged fruit...
. The name Dryobalanops is derived from Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
(dryas = a nymph associated with oaks and balanops = acorn) and describes the acorn-like nut. The genus has seven species, confined to the tropical forests of West Malesia
Malesia
Malesia is a biogeographical region straddling the boundaries of the Indomalaya ecozone and Australasia ecozone, and also a phytogeographical floristic region in the Paleotropical Kingdom.-Floristic province:...
(Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo). It is among the most abundant species of emergent trees in these forests, growing up to 80m tall.
The genus is of considerable importance as timber trees and sold under the trade name Kapur
Dipterocarp timber classification
The following table associates tree species, wood name and wood colour....
. The timber is an important heavy and durable construction timber. D. aromatica was an important source of camphor
Camphor
Camphor is a waxy, white or transparent solid with a strong, aromatic odor. It is a terpenoid with the chemical formula C10H16O. It is found in wood of the camphor laurel , a large evergreen tree found in Asia and also of Dryobalanops aromatica, a giant of the Bornean forests...
.
As the trees mature, they mutually avoid touching each other. See an image at the Magnum Photos Website.