Acer laurinum Hassk.

Tree up to 48 m, clear bole up to 28 m by 70 cm, buttresses to 2 m high. At the start of the dry season foliate twigs sprout 2-4 together simultaneously from last year's buds; inflorescences appearing in the axils of fallen leaves. Both flower and shoot-buds ca 4 mm long with 4-9 pairs of decussate ca 2 mm long caducous perules. Leaves simple entire glabrous, glossy dark green above, glaucous, whitish or light blue-grey below; petiole 1 ¼-10 cm; blade elliptic to lanceolate, 3-to slightly 5-plinerv-ous at the base, apex acuminate to tailed, tip subacute. Inflorescences corymbose, either ♂ or ♀, rarely with few flowers of the other sex, glabrous, 2½-10 (in fruit to 19) cm long; peduncle ½-3½ cm, pedicels 4-17 mm. Flowers pale yellowish. Sepals and petals (3-)5, free, resp. 2½-3 and1½-2½ mm long. Stamens (4-)6(-8)in 1 whorl, sometimes isomerous and then alternating with the petals, attached on the disc in pits; filament in ♂ 5 mm, in ♀ 2.2 mm; anther ¾ mm (in ♀ slightly smaller and not dehiscent):. Disc flat, glabrous to woolly. Ovary 2 mm broad, densely woolly, in ♂ (with the styles) usually strongly reduced. Styles 2, 1½ mm long. Wings of fruit 4-7 by 1-2½ cm, asymmetric and obovate, inside narrowed or straight, hairy; mericarp proper 8-13 mm long, ovate.

In primary, rarely in secondary or devastated, forests, often common but scattered, 900-2550 m, in Flores descending to 750 m, in Sumatra to 630 m, in Celebes to 450 m, and at only 27 m near Simpang, Borneo. Fl. in April-Aug., fr. July-Nov. In Casuarina forest saplings have been found. When flowering the leafless crown swarms with Hymenoptera collecting honey. Trees are easily located in the forest by the fallen leaves which are glaucous and fine-reticulate-veined underneath. A characteristic hill tree, but found in Sarawak and W. Borneo also in the lowland, as well as in S. Malaya (Johore); in the latter place twice found in peat-swamp forest, a remarkable change in ecological conditions (cf. WHITMORE Tree Fl. Malaya 2 1973 2 ). It could be that the locality at Simpang (W. Kaliman-tan) is also in peat-swamp forest.

Uses. Timber unimportant, no distinct heart-wood is present; used for building purposes, fit for boxes.

Can be grown by cuttings, graftings or seedlings. Seeds needs soaking.