Gonystylus velutinus Airy Shaw

Tree, 23-35 m by 40-70 cm. Branchlets dark brown, densely fulvo-velutinous when young, ultimately ± glabrescent. Leaves elliptic, oblong-elliptic or lanceolate-elliptic, 8—11(—13) by 3½-5 cm, base cuneate to subrotundate, apex shortly and narrowly cuspidate-acuminate, glabrous, evidently shagreened and distinctly glossy above, usually more or less pubescent below, but sometimes only minutely so, densely fulvo-velutinous in the young state, chartaceo-coriaceous, obscurely brown or ochraceous when dry; nerves very slender, crowded, parallel, ± prominent on both surfaces; petiole 7-11 by 1-2 mm, densely velutinous. Inflorescences terminal and axillary, 7-12 cm long, densely fulvo-tomentellous, sparsely branched. Flowers small, c. ½ cm diam. when expanded; pedicels 8-10 mm, tomentelious. Calyx-tube depressed-globose, 3 mm diam., rugulose; segments deltoid, c. 3 mm long, acute, strongly revolute at anthesis. Petals 7-8, deltoid, acute, 2 mm long, incurved. Style glabrous. Capsule lanceolate-oblong, 3½-5½ cm long, very woody; valves 3 (rarely 2), VU-2½ cm wide, ½ cm thick. Seeds 2½-3 cm long.

Locally rather common, as isolated trees, in primary rain-forest at very low altitudes, mostly on non-inundated sandy soil, but also noted on clayey swampy ground by creeks, etc., subject to annual inundation; fl. Aug.-Oct., fr. Dec.-Jan.

Uses. Timber for planks and house construction in Sarawak, if this species. Sap said to be irritant.

Can be grown by seedlings.