Trees, rarely large shrubs. Leaves spiral, scattered, sometimes aggregate in pseudo-whorls, simple, coriaceous, entire, petioled, rarely subsessile or sessile. Inflorescences axillary, paniculate; bracts and bracteoles ovate to lanceolate, usually caducous; pedicels sometimes articulated. Flowers bisexual. Calyx calyptri-form, circumscissile or bursting irregularly at anthesis, caducous. Floral axis between calyx and ovary often elongated and enlarged (described as torus here). Petals (4 or) 5(-8), imbricate andfor contorted sometimes even on the same specimen, rarely valvate, caducous, or persistent and (much) enlarged in fruit. Stamens (4 or) 5(-7), 10, or 00, inserted on the torus; filaments filiform, glabrous or hairy; anthers dorsifixed. Disk 0. Ovary sessile or stiped (between ovary and stamens), 1-celled, glabrous or hairy; style distinct, filiform; stigma slightly thicker than the style. Drupe 1-celled, sometimes stalked, sometimes supported by the much enlarged, wing-like petals. Seed with testa adherent to the endocarp; embryo straight, rarely slightly curved; cotyledons free, or incompletely fused and partly free only on one side.
Mixed dryland forest, peat-swamps, and riverine forest, chiefly in the lowland and hills, by exception up to 1200 m.G. renghas and G. velutina can be co-dominants in, lowland swampy habitats in the lowest course of the rivers.
Uses. The seeds of G. renghas and G. velutina can be eaten after roasting ( BURKILL Gard. Bull. S. S. 5 1931 230 ). The heartwood of some species, e.g. of G. renghas, G. elegans, G. wrayi, etc., is reddish brown and beautiful for handsome furniture, but it is hardly used due to the toxic properties of the resinous exudate.C. J. STEFELS ( C.J. STEFELS 'Rapport inzake het onderzoek van enige Houtsoorten ten aanzien van hun weerstand tegen paalwormaantasting' Fak Fak 1957 typed report, in Dutch ) made some observations on resistance against marine borers. A log of 'Gluta' (Fak Fak, Budidi R., BW 3135), now identified as G. papuana, was tested. After 7 months the sap wood was infected, while the heartwood remained sound. As in this species the sapwoodfheartwood ratio is unfavourable, it is not suitable for wharf piling (extr. kindly by W. VINK).
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