AgroForestryTree Database
Ochanostachys amentacea
 Species identityEcology and distributionPropagation and managementFunctional usesPests and diseasesAdditional InfoBibliographyImages |
Species identity
TaxonomySynonym(s)
Common names
(Indonesian) : ampalang
(Malay) : petikal (Sarawak)
(Trade name) : petaling (Indonesia, Malaysia)
Botanic description
A medium-sized to sometimes large evergreen tree up to 30(-50) m tall; bole straight or rather poorly shaped, branchless for up to 15(-20) m, up to 60(-80) cm in diameter, fluted and often with short buttresses at base; bark surface with distant roundish to oblong thin adherent scales, mottled with purplish shades of pale brown, yellowish-brown or dark brown, inner bark finely fibrous, mottled yellowish to orange-brown-fawn, with droplets of white latex and separated from the cambium by a purplish line; crown dense and dark with many small branches. Leaves arranged spirally, simple and entire, ovate or elliptical to oblong, (5-)6-13 cm x (2.5-)3-7 cm, broadly cuneate to rounded at base, apex short-bluntly acuminate, pinnately veined with (4-)5(-8) pairs of secondary veins, tertiary venation scalariform; petiole (1-)1.5-2(-3) cm long, with an apical knee; stipules absent. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic, arranged interruptedly, either solitary or 2-4 together in a simple or sometimes 1-2-branched, up to 12 cm long spike from the leaf axils, c. 3 mm long, green to whitish-yellowish, almost sessile; calyx 4-5-toothed; petals (3-)4(-5), united at the very base; stamens (1-)2(-3) before each petal; ovary superior, depressed-ovoid, glabrous, with a short cylindrical style. Fruit a subglobose to ovoid pendulous drupe, (1.5-)2-2.5(-3) cm in diameter, turning yellow when ripe, with a thin pericarp and woody endocarp, 1-seeded. Seed subglobular. Seedling leaves similar in form to those of the mature tree. Petaling is easily recognized by its typical flower arrangement. The mottled bark is also characteristic. The wood is similar to kulim (Scorodocarpus borneensis (Baillon) Becc.), but does not smell of garlic.
Ecology and distribution
Natural HabitatPetaling is a fairly common but scattered understorey or rarely canopy tree of primary or sometimes secondary lowland rain forest. It often thrives in mixed dipterocarp forest on undulating country or hillsides and ridges.
Ochanostachys is a monotypic genus occurring in Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo and intervening islands. It is probably erroneously reported from the Nicobar and Andaman Islands.
Biophysical limitsAltitude: Up to 950 m. Soil types: It is found on clay-rich, loamy or sandy, usually well-drained soils, apparently growing well on laterite, and is only rarely found in periodically inundated locations.
Reproductive Biology
Petaling trees flower almost throughout the year, except for December and January; fruits may be found throughout the year, but mast fruiting years have been observed. Animals like monkeys and birds most probably disperse the seeds, by eating the fruits.
Propagation and management
Propagation methodsPetaling can be propagated by seed. However, during a test seed germinated very slowly; the first seedling was observed 2.5 months after sowing and the last one more than 2 years after sowing. The germination percentage is about 20%. Petaling can be planted on a variety of soils.Tree Management
Plantation: Under natural conditions, it takes approximately 150 years for a petaling tree to grow to a diameter of 50 cm, and 200 years to reach a diameter of 60 cm, but a mean annual diameter increment of about 1.0 cm has been reported for an individual 44-year-old tree in the arboretum of the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia. In a sample plot with 308 petaling trees an annual diameter increment of 0.5 cm has been measured. Early growth is about 2.4 m in height in 5 years. In a plantation trial in Malaysia, trees with an age of 33 years attained a mean height of 21 m. Natural regeneration of petaling is sparse and scattered, but may be fairly plentiful under favourable conditions. It is very tolerant of shade and only rarely reaches the canopy top. Natural vegetative reproduction takes place by means of coppice shoots and root suckers. In natural forest in Peninsular Malaysia, the average number is 1 tree of commercial size to 1.6 ha, but locally it may be as much as 2.5 trees/ha. It is not resistant to fire, as about 90% mortality was observed after fire in East Kalimantan.
Functional uses
ProductsFood: The seeds are edible when cooked or roasted. Medicine: A decoction of the bark has been used medicinally against fever and after childbirth. Rheumatic fever has been treated by applying a paste of the roots with bark of Koompassia or by a bath prepared by using petaling leaves along with Koompassia bark and coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) seed. Timber: Petaling timber is used for house posts and other heavy construction purposes such as bridge bearers for logging roads and railways, for telephone poles, foundation piles, fence posts, flooring and tool handles. Because it has no figure it is less suitable for furniture or indoor work such as staircases, but the wood has been observed to be used as such. Utilization for pallets, boxes, and crates has also been reported. The high elasticity of the wood makes it suitable for gymnasium equipment, such as horizontal bars.Services
Others services: Petaling is useful for underplanting in forest plantations to reduce weed growth and hence the costs of weed control. In this way it has been successfully planted with meranti (Shorea spp.) in Peninsular Malaysia.
Additional Information
PropertiesTimber (paragraph 1): Petaling is a medium-weight to heavy hardwood. The heartwood is red-brown to purplish red-brown or purplish-grey, darkening upon exposure, usually only moderately sharply demarcated from the dark brownish-yellow to pale red-brown sapwood. The grain is interlocked, texture rather fine and even. Timber (paragraph 2): The density is 730-1105 kg/m cubic at 15% moisture content. At green condition, the modulus of rupture is 96 N/mm cubic, modulus of elasticity 8525 N/mm2, compression parallel to grain 49 N/mm cubic, compression shear 7.5 N/mm cubic, cleavage radial 54 N/mm, cleavage tangential 70.5 N/mm, Janka side hardness 4310 N and Janka end hardness 6115 N. Test in Peninsular Malaysia at 57% moisture content showed the following mechanical properties: compression parallel to grain 45.5 N/mm cubic, compression perpendicular to grain 6 N/mm cubic, compression shear 10 N/mm cubic and janka side hardness 6590 N. At 16.5% moisture content, compression parallel to grain 56 N/mm cubic, compression perpendicular to grain 6.5 N/mm cubic, compression shear 10 N/mm cubic and janka side hardness 6360 N. Timber (paragraph 3): The rates of shrinkage from green to 15% moisture content are 1.9% radial and 3.8% tangential. Petaling seasons slowly to very slowly with slight defects. Slight cupping, bowing, end checking or splitting and surface checking have been observed. It takes about 3.5 months to dry 2.5 cm thick boards to the air-dry condition, but periods of 6 and 9 months for drying 1.5 cm and 3.8 cm thick boards, respectively, have also been reported. Timber (paragraph 4): Petaling timber can be planed and sanded with very good results, whereas shaping, turning, boring and mortising give good results. The resistance to splitting in nailing is rated as poor. Petaling wood can be peeled into 1.5 mm thick veneer without pretreatment at a 90 deg. peeling angle with good results. Gluing with urea-formaldehyde produces plywood that meets the Indonesian, Japanese and German standards. Timber (paragraph 5): Petaling wood is durable to moderately durable, except in water; stake tests show an average service life in contact with the ground of 3.2 years under tropical conditions. The heartwood is considerably resistant to termite attack and also to soft-rot fungus (Chaetomium globosum) and white-rot fungus (Coriolus versicolor). The treatability of the heartwood with preservatives is rather variable, from average to extremely difficult. Using a 2.5 hour treatment schedule with 3% copper-chrome-arsenic preservative, petaling heartwood absorbed 206 l/m3. The sapwood is liable to powder-post beetle attack but is easily treated with preservatives. Timber (paragraph 6): Petaling wood contains 47.5% cellulose, 30% lignin, 10.5% pentosan, 0.1% ash and 0.1% silica. The solubility is 2.2% in alcohol-benzene, 3.3% in cold water, 4.8% in hot water and 20.5% in a 1% NaOH solution. Timber (Macroscopic characters): Heartwood red-brown to purplish red-brown or purplish-grey, darkening on exposure, usually only moderately sharply demarcated from the sapwood (dark yellow-brown or pale red-brown). Grain interlocked. Texture rather fine and even; wood odourless and featureless. Growth rings indistinct; vessels visible to the naked eye, small to medium-sized, in radial multiples; parenchyma and rays only visible with a lens; ripple marks absent.
Trade
Petaling is generally too scarce to be of economic importance as an export timber. It is probably often traded in mixed consignments with other heavy or medium-weight hardwoods. On the local market it is popular for house posts. The amounts exported are insignificant. In 1983, about 3400 m¦ of sawlogs were exported from Peninsular Malaysia, with a value of US$ 120 000 (US$ 35/m¦), and in 1984 it was 3500 m¦ with a value of US$ 140 000 (US$ 40/m¦); the export was mainly to Singapore.
Yields
Harvesting: Logs are generally without defects. Yield: The estimated timber volume of petaling is 1 m¦/ha in forest near Samarinda, East Kalimantan, and 10.3 m3/ha in the Krueng Pirak forest, Aceh. Handling after harvest: The logs sink in water and cannot be transported by river unless when fastened to the floating logs of other timbers.
Genetic
Genetic resources: Petaling is not in great demand or sought for locally and the conservation of its genetic resources is directly linked to the conservation of its habitats.
Prospects
Petaling is probably most frequently traded together with other medium-weight and heavy woods as mixed hardwood. When, however, directly recognized at the saw mill or during logging, petaling timber may be traded separately to be used for specific purposes such as gymnasium equipment, and may command a better price. Due to its slow growth, it does not have potential as a timber plantation species. Petaling is well suited for underplanting and deserves more attention.