Ayer balau tree
Shorea seminis

Family: Dipterocarpaceae

What it is like

A large tree. It grows about 60 m tall. The trunk is 130 cm across. The stem has resin. The branches are about 25-30 m above the ground. It can have buttresses 2.5 m tall. The leaves are alternate and simple. They are oblong to sword shaped and 9-18 cm long by 3-8 cm wide. They are thinly leathery with 9-15 pairs of secondary veins. The flowers are about 3 cm across. They are yellow and in groups in the axils of leaves or towards the ends of branches. The fruit are about 1 cm across. They are yellow-brown. They have 3 longer calyx lobes 10 cm long by 1 cm wide and 2 shorter lobes.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in mixed forests up to 300 m above sea level. It can be up to 1,000 m above sea level. It is usually on alluvial sites. It is often along rivers.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Sarawak, SE Asia

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Fruit - oil, seeds - fat

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds and also from stem cuttings.

Its other names

Local names

Ajol, Bangkirai tanduk, Bung-kus, Engkagang chengai, Engkabang terendak, Pohon balau ayer, Pohon tengkawang ayer, Tegelam

Synonyms

Hopea lanceolata de Vriese; Hopea seminis de Vriese; Isoptera borneensis Scheff. ex Burck; Isoptera seminis Burk.; Ridleyinda borneensis O.K.; Shorea borneensis Pierre; Shorea schefferiana Hance;