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Calophyllum
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 flower of Alexandrian Laurel
(Calophyllum inophyllum) |
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Calophyllum amoenum |
Calophyllum ("beautiful leaf", from Greek kalos, "beautiful", and phullon, "leaf") is a plant genus of around 180-200 species of tropical evergreen trees in the family Clusiaceae. Its members are native to Madagascar, Eastern Africa, South and Southeast Asia (Pakistan east to Vietnam and Indonesia), the Pacific islands, the West Indies and South America. The common names, as well as commercial names, for these trees are teitai (in Kiribati), Bintangor tree (in Malaysia) and poon tree (in India). For their resin, occasionally used medicinally, see tacamahac. In Central and South America, growths the Calophyllum brasiliensis, common names Guanandi, Jacareuba, Arbol de Santa Maria and Brazil beauty leaf.
These species grow in a wide number of habitats, from ridges in mountain forests to coastal swamps, lowland forest and even coral cays. They are large hardwoods, attaining 30 m in height and 0.8 m in diameter. It presents shiny and leathery leaves. The tree bark is grey or white and decorticates in large thin strips. The wood is light in weight, the heartwood pink-red, or almost brown, while the sapwood varies from species to species, often from yellow, brown (often with pink tints) to orange. Species occurring in Papua New Guinea are often buttressed.
Several species have been found to contain naturally occurring calanolides in various quantities.
The lightweight hardwood of these species is used in boatmaking for masts and spars.
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