Agelaea borneensis Merr.

Liana or scrambling shrub, sometimes a small tree; stem (2-)5-10 cm thick. Branches 3-5 mm thick, densely fulvous-tomentose when young, glabrescent. Leaves pubescent to subglabrous; lateral petiolules 2-4 mm long. Lateral leaflets oblique, elliptic (rarely ovate or obovate), 5-13 by 2-6 cm, terminal ones elliptic to obovate, 7-20 by 3-10 cm; chartaceous to subcoriaceous, sometimes bullate, more or less densely ferruginous-tomentose, specially beneath, rarely nearly glabrous; base rounded; apex blunt-acuminate (acumen ½-1½ cm); midrib and nerves strongly prominent beneath; nerves 5-6 pairs, the basal ones more or less ascending. Panicles lax, up to 8-10 cm long, usually consisting of the main axis and some basal branches, many-flowered, fulvous-pubescent. Flowers (4-)5-merous, heterotristylous, fragrant. Sepals 1.25-1.5 mm long. Petals c. 2.5 mm long. Stamens 10(-5), filaments minutely pubescent. Pistils (3-)5. Infructescences small, with few fruits. Fruits sinusoid-ovate to-ellipsoid, 1½-2½ by 0.75-1.25 cm, narrowed at the base, 3-10 mm beaked at the apex, coarsely papillose by fleshy, 3-4 mm long papillae, densely short-pubescent. Seeds obovoid, rounded at both ends, the basal half (or less) covered by the arilloid.

Primary and secondary rain-forests, also along periodically inundated river-banks and on limestone rocks, up to c. 700 m, as exceptional highest altitude: (-1300) m. Fl. and fr. Jan.-Dec.

Uses. The stems and branches are highly esteemed for making ropes; they are strong and do not decay in water, for which reason they are specially in use for rafts and bow-nets.

Can be grown by seedlings.