Palaquium gutta

Palaquium gutta is a tree in the family Sapotaceae. The specific epithet gutta is from the Malay word getah meaning 'sap or latex'.^[3]

Palaquium gutta
Conservation status
Near Threatened  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Ericales
Family:	Sapotaceae
Genus:	Palaquium
Species:	P. gutta
Binomial name
Palaquium gutta (Hook.) Baill.[2]
Synonyms[2]
List Croixia gutta (Hook.) Baehni Dichopsis borneensis (Burck) Fox Dichopsis gutta (Hook.) Benth. Dichopsis oblongifolia Burck Dichopsis treubii (Burck) Fox Isonandra acuminata Miq. Isonandra gutta Hook. Isonandra percha Hook. Palaquium acuminatum Burck Palaquium borneense Pierre Palaquium borneense Burck Palaquium croixianum Pierre ex Dubard Palaquium formosum Pierre Palaquium fulvosericeum Engl. Palaquium gloegoerense Burck Palaquium malaccense Pierre Palaquium oblongifolium (Burck) Burck Palaquium obscurum Burck Palaquium optimum Becc. Palaquium princeps Pierre Palaquium selendit Burck Palaquium treubii Burck Palaquium vrieseanum Burck

Description

Palaquium gutta grows up to 40 metres (130 ft) tall. The bark is reddish brown. Inflorescences bear up to 12 flowers. The fruits are round or ellipsoid, sometimes brownish tomentose, up to 2.5 centimetres (1 in) long.^[3]

Distribution and habitat

Palaquium gutta is native to Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore and Borneo.^[1] Its habitat is lowland mixed dipterocarp, kerangas and limestone forests.^[3]

Uses

The seeds of Palaquium gutta are used to make soap and candles, occasionally in cooking. The latex is used to make gutta-percha. The timber is logged and traded as nyatoh.^[1]

Conservation

Palaquium gutta has been assessed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. The significant threat to the species is deforestation: in Borneo for conversion of land to palm oil cultivation.^[1]