Trees or shrubs, glabrous (in Mal.). Bark at base of stem exuding yellow resinous sap, hardening black. Branchlets compressed, 4(-6?)-lined, with interpetiolar scars linear, closed (continuous and straight or curved upward) or open (interrupted and curved downward) (Fig. 1). Leaves opposite or rarely subopposite, entire, sessile or petioled, often with fine translucent ('pale') glandular dots, without black or red glands. Inflorescences terminal, racemiform, paniculate to axillary racemes or single flowers. Flowers (except staminodial fascicles and gynoecium) 5-merous, sometimes heterodistylous. Sepals quincuncial-imbricate, coriaceous, persistent, with longitudinal pale or black glandular lines or dots, sometimes elongating in fruit. Petals deep crimson to pink or white, sometimes tinged orange or green, with reddish or black glandular dots or lines (Fig. 1e), sometimes with nectariferous scale-like, basal appendage (Fig. 1e, Fig. 6f, Fig. 8e-f), caducous to subpersistent. Stamen fascicles united 2+2 + 1, single one epipetalous and double ones episepalous, glabrous, caducous, each with ∞ stamens; filaments crimson to white, slender, united for over half their length; anthers crimson to white, ± shortly oblong to rhombic, dorsifixed, sometimes with 1-2 brown resiniferous glands terminating the connective. Staminodial fascicles 3, alternating with the fascicles, varying in shape and size (Fig. 6g, i, j, Fig. 8g, i). (Flowers with 4-5-merous inner whorls occasionally occur). Ovary incompletely 3-celled; styles 3, free, ± slender, stigmas small, ± capitate. Ovules ∞-4 on the basal half of each placenta, erect or ascending. Fruit a loculicidal, 3-valved, ± ligneous capsule, with slightly prominent longitudinal vittae. Seeds ∞-4 on each woody placenta (columella), cylindric to ovoid, imbricate; testa not sculptured; winged unilaterally or all round; embryo cylindric, straight, with cotyledons longer than the hypocotyl.
Uses. Species of sect. Cratoxylum and Tridesmos have hard, heavy wood. C. sumatranum is good for making charcoal and implements. C. cochinchinense has fairly durable wood, but is not used much for timber. Species of sect. Tridesmos, on the other hand, give a flexible durable timber, which is sometimes used by Indonesians for construction. The species of sect. Isopterygium have rather soft, red wood that splits badly and blunts tools on account of its high silica content. The Dayak of Indonesian Borneo, however, make drums of old hollow trunks of C. arborescens.HEYNE ( HEYNE Nutt. Pl. 1927 1080 ) stated that the bark at the base of the trunk of C.formosum produces a resinous exudate (at first golden yellow, then red, finally black) that is used as a remedy for scabies and leg wounds.
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