DIPTEROCARPACEAE
Morphological description
Woody, non-climbing, resinous. Usually large trees. Sometimes bole smooth with horizontal rings (Vatica)
Leaves
Leaves simple, alternate, entire, stipulate; usually secondary and tertiary veins parallel, petiole thickened apically, hairs in fascicles (tufts), domatia present. Sometimes large amplexicaul stipules (Dipterocarpus, some Shorea, some Parashorea). Sometimes dense numerous parallel secondary nerves (Drybalanops, all reaching margin, and some Hopea). Sometimes petiole geniculate (Anisoptera, Dipterocarpus, Upuna). Sometimes large glands on underside of leaves (Vatica).
Inflorescence
Inflorescence a panicle.
Flowers
Flower 5-merous, petals more or less free, contorted, calyx persistent; stamens numerous, connective elongated, ovary 3-locular.
Fruit
Fruit winged (enlarged sepals). Sometimes fruits wingless (several Vatica, some Dipterocarpus and Shorea).
Seed
Seed.
Different from: others.
Distribution: There are 3 subfamilies: - Pakaraimaeoideae (1 monotypic genus South America); - Monotoideae (2 genera Madagascar-Africa); - Dipterocarpoideae (c. 15 genera, Seychelles to South China and New Guinea). In Malesia 10 genera of which the largest: - Dipterocarpus (c. 70 spp., Sri Lanka to Borneo); - Hopea (c. 100 spp., S. India to New Guinea); - Shorea (nearly 200 spp., India to Moluccas); - Vatica (65 spp., S. India to New Guinea). Other Malesian genera: - Anisoptera (10 spp., Indochina to New Guinea); - Cotylelobium (6 spp., Sri Lanka, West Malesia); - Dryobalanops (7 spp., West Malesia); - Neobalanocarpus (1 sp., Malay Peninsula); - Parashorea (c. 15 spp., Southeast Asia, West Malesia); - Upuna (1 sp., Borneo).
Notes: Kostermans (1987) raised Vatica sect. Sunaptea to the rank of genus, Sunaptea, and united it with Cotylelobium. He also excluded Monotoideae and Pakaraimaeoideae from Dipterocarpaceae (Kostermans 1993). Many species produce valuable hardwood timber: Balau and Meranti (Shorea), Keruing (Dipterocarpus), Kapur (Dryobalanops). Others produce resins (damar): Dipterocarpus and Shorea; camphor from Dryobalanops, oils from Shorea.
Literature: C.F. Symington, Mal. For. Rec. 16 (1943); P.S. Ashton, Fl. Males. I, 9 (1982) 237-552; A. J.G.H. Kostermans, Proc. Round Table Conf. Dipt. (1987) 603-627; The Dipterocarpaceae of Sri Lanka (1993).
Spot characters (Van Balgooy): Dipterocarpaceae 30, 56, 58, 80, 83 - Anisoptera 38, 92, 98 - Cotylelobium 98 - Dipterocarpus 8, 33, 37, 38, 53, 68, 92, 98 - Dryobalanops 67, 98 - Hopea 36, 67, 68, 98 - Neobalanocarpus 68, 98 - Parashorea 33, 53, 68, 85, 98 - Shorea 8, 22, 25, 33, 36, 37, 38, 39, 52, 53, 68, 98; S. peltata 51 - Upuna 38, 68, 98 - Vatica 27, 31, 53, 98.
Illustrations: Fig. 52. Dipterocarpus verrucosus Sloot.: a. leaf; b. inflorescence; c. stipule; d. flowering twig; e. fruits; f. nut. Fig. 53. Dryobalanops sumatrana (J.F. Gmel.) Kosterm.: a. habit; b. inflorescence; c. fruit; d. idem, wings removed. Fig. 54. Shorea macrophylla (de Vriese) Ashton: a. habit; b. stipules; c. flowerbud; d. flower; e. pistil; f. stamens; g. petals; h. fruit. Fig. 55. Vatica umbonata (Hook. f.) Burck: a. habit; b & c. young fruits; d & e. mature fruits.
Image in PhytoImages for Dipterocarpaceae