Austrobuxus nitidus

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Description

(Shrubs to) trees, up to 30 m high, bole up to 6 m, dbh up to 50 cm; Leaves: Inflorescences single to up to c. 3 together, cymose, but often thyrsoid, sericeous to subglabrous, staminate ones up to 5.5 cm long, pistillate ones up to 1 cm long, with basally several bracts; Fruits globose to obovoid, 10-22 by 9-16 mm, wall generally thin, up to 3 mm thick; Seeds obovoid, 8-10 by 5-6 by 3-4 mm, shiny dark brown when dry;

Distribution

Asia-Tropical: Borneo present; Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia present); Sumatera (Sumatera present), Peninsular Thailand present

Peninsular Thailand; in Malesia: Sumatra, Malay Peninsula, Borneo.

Morphology

The two varieties, A. nitidus var. macrocarpum and var. montanum could not be distinguished, because of a continuous range in sizes of the leaf blades (var. montanum with smaller leaves) and fruits (var. macrocarpum with larger fruits). There was also no geocline in these sizes, though plants from higher altitude tend to have smaller leaf blades and smaller fruits. The plants in Thailand and the Malay Peninsula are generally somewhat more hairy when young and the bracts of the axillary buds are larger and more distinct.

Uses

Sumatra: Fruit produces edible oil. Borneo (Sabah): Wood used for construction purposes (Bajau).

Citation

Corner 1940 – In: Wayside Trees Malaya: 260

Miq. 1981 – In: Kew Bull.: 258

Welzen & P.I.Forst. 2010: p. 191. – In: Nordic J. Bot.: f. 2, 3

Merr. 1921 – In: J. Straits Branch Roy. Asiat. Soc.: 333

Airy Shaw 1971 – In: Kew Bull.: 506

Whitmore 1973 – In: Tree Fl. Malaya: 63

Airy Shaw 1975 – In: Kew Bull.: 43

S.S.Larsen 2005: p. 105. – In: Chayam. & Welzen, Fl. Thailand 8: f. 23, pl. I: 2

Airy Shaw 1975 – In: Kew Bull.: 43

Ridl. 1924 – In: Fl. Malay Penins.: 224