Agroforestree Database

Local names:
 English (white meranti,damar), Filipino (manggasinoro), Indonesian (damar jaca,damar sibosa,mesegar lanang), Khmer (lum’-baô), Malay (temak,meranti pa’ang), Thai (phayom,saya-khao,kiam-khanong), Trade name (white meranti,damar), Vietnamese (s[ees]n,v[ee]

Shorea javanica is a medium-sized to fairly large tree of up to 40 m tall; bole is straight, cylindrical, branchless for up to 20 (max. 30) m and with a diameter of up to 150 cm; buttresses prominent, up to 1.5 m high; bark surface with irregular section fissures, rarely scaly, grey or light brown; outer bark usually thick, chocolate brown; inner bark laminated with bands of orange-yellow (rarely pink) and whitish tissue, exuding a clear, yellow resin; mature crown hemispherical or dome shaped, sympodial.

Leaves elliptical-oblong to ovate, thin, leathery, (min. 6.5) 10-15 x (max. 3.5) 4-8 cm, with 19-25 pairs of secondary veins; underside evenly tomentose on the veins; petiole 16-22 mm long; stipules and bracts often large and more or less persistent.

Inflorescence terminal or axillary, paniculate; flowers secund or distichous, bisexual, pentamerous, actinomorphic, scented; calyx lobes free, hirsute; petals broadly elliptical to ovate lanceolate, loosely connate at base, white, often tinged with pink, the outer surface hirsute.

Fruit usually shortly stalked; the outer 3 calyx lobes much elongated, up to 18 x 1.5 cm, more or less thickened and saccate at base; nut 1 seeded, free from calyx, subglobose to ovate, sharply pointed.

‘Damar mata kucing’ (Indonesian) means cat’s eye resin.

Ecology

Shorea species are confined to tropical climates with a mean annual rainfall exceeding 1600 mm and with a dry season of less than 6 months. In general S. javanica is more abundant in seasonal than in aseasonal forests. S. javanica occurs in primary and secondary forest on dry or periodically inundated places on flat land or on slopes up to 300(500) m altitude. Naturally found in some forests of Sumatra which has no dry season, and in central Java. The natural vegetation of the area is typical primary and secondary lowland rainforests.

Native range
Indonesia

Tree management

Seedlings need shade until they reach a height of about 1.5 m. Then the shade trees can be gradually removed to provide sunlight. The young trees, when exposed to full sunlight, show a tendency to form multiple leaders. Mycorrhizal infection considerably promotes growth. Five species of common ectomycorrhizal fungi associated with the roots of S. javanica have been identified: Amanita hemibapha, Cantharellus cibarius, Lactarius spp., Russula spp. and Scleroderma spp. Many damar gardens are not monospecific plantations. Mycorrhizae, especially the ectomycorrhizae, appear to increase the tolerance of trees to drought, high soil temperatures, soil toxicity (organic and inorganic) and extremely low soil pH caused by high levels of sulphur or aluminium.

The growth of S. javanica trees is moderately fast; trees may reach a height of 40-50 m in 50 years. Natural regeneration in the forest is often gregarious. However, in logged-over forest, enrichment planting may be necessary to maintain an important proportion of S. javanica in the forest. 

The harvest of resins begins when the tree is 15-50 years old and continues for 30 years. At 50 years of age the tree is already physiologically old because of reduced photosynthetic and metabolic capacity due to regular tapping, hence the silvicultural rotation lasts approximately 50 years. The resin is harvested from cuts made on the trunk. With an approximate density of 100 trees/ha, the average production of resin is an estimated 48 t/ ha per year.

Although seed storage behaviour is generally intermediate, seeds rapidly lose their viability. Storage at 20 deg. C with 60-66% r.h. (or 13-14% mc) is recommended; chilling damage occurs at temperatures below 10 deg. C. Storage in ventilated containers or sealed bags at 16-21 deg. C enables seeds to survive for up to 10 months with over 50% viability. Germination tests showed that seeds are best kept at 20-27 deg. C and 60-67% r.h. There are about 830 nuts (fruit wings removed) per kg.

Shorea species are confined to tropical climates with a mean annual rainfall exceeding 1600 mm and with a dry season of less than 6 months. In general S. javanica is more abundant in seasonal than in aseasonal forests. S. javanica occurs in primary and secondary forest on dry or periodically inundated places on flat land or on slopes up to 300(500) m altitude. Naturally found in some forests of Sumatra which has no dry season, and in central Java. The natural vegetation of the area is typical primary and secondary lowland rainforests.

Time of seed collection is important for germination success. Mature seeds sown immediately after collection germinate well (about 96%), but storage often causes rapid deterioration. However, seeds collected 4 and 2 weeks before maturity show only 66% and 79% germination immediately after collection, but their loss of viability during storage is much less.

Like in other Dipterocarpaceae, S. javanica produces seed irregularly. All damar trees are planted from seeds. Propagation of S. javanica by stem cuttings is reported as being impossible, but transplantation of rooted saplings is possible; seedlings have epigeal germination; pericarp splits irregularly.

The lower part of the trunk is scarified from tapping for resin and hence can be used only for firewood.

Fibre:  The wood is satisfactorily used for pulp in the manufacture of paper.

Timber:  S. javanica is a lightweight hardwood. The heartwood is yellowish-white and when freshly cut is indistinct from the sapwood, but it gradually becomes yellowish-brown or light brown, and on exposure is slightly more distinct from the sapwood. The density of the wood is 450-840 kg/m³ at 15% mc. Grain is usually interlocked, and the texture moderately coarse but even. The planed surface is lustrous, often with subtle ribbon figures. The wood is not very durable and should therefore be kept away from contact with the ground unless it is treated. Because of its high silica content, S. javanica is not popular as a sawn timber, but it has been used for a wide variety of purposes, such as door and window frames, posts, beams, joists, rafters, planking, light flooring, ceiling, furniture, interior and shop fitting, vehicle bodies, sports goods, vats, wine casks, food containers, stair stringers, and ship and boat building. The creamy white and uniform colour, the even texture and the good gluing properties make S. javanica a highly preferred timber for plywood production, which is its most important use. 

Gum or resin:  The bark yields an unusually clear, pale yellow damar (resin). The resin was formerly used for torches, for caulking boats and handicrafts, and more recently local traders export it to industrial countries, where it is used principally in p

Soil improver:  Roots are well fortified by typical mycorrhizal association, which enables them to absorb and accumulate nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and calcium more rapidly and for longer periods than non-mycorrhizal roots.

Intercropping:  S. javanica is a good example for the tree component in an agroforestry system for resin production. Other useful trees, such as clove, are simultaneously planted with damar trees so that although the latter largely dominate, the resulting stand is multilayered, comprising different useful plants such as fruits, vegetables and medicinal plants. In southern Sumatra, a multistorey agroforestry system has been in use for decades, in which damar from S. javanica is produced and other crops such as coffee are also grown. The trees grow in a rotation of about 50 years and in that period form a stand 40-50 m high. The damar-producing trees are often planted mixed with other multipurpose tree species, or bamboo or rattan.