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Cengal - Neobalanocarpus heimii (King) P.S.Ashton - Dipterocarpaceae [1]
Synonyms:
Balanocarpus heimii King
Other names:
Penak (Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, western Pahang); Chengal [1]
General information:
Very large buttressed tree; lowland and hill forest to 1000 m; widespread; can only be found in Peninsular Malaysia and southern Thailand [1]
Distinguish botanical characteristics:
Leaf – alternate and simple, leathery and elliptical-lanceolate [1]
Fruit – nut, nutlet, its wingless fruits are dark yellow [2]
Heart wood – heavy and hard, highly durable, and resistant to wood borers, termites, and fungi [3]
Uses:
Medicinal uses – none known
Ripe fruit – yellow / golden [2]
Wood – important Malaysian commercial wood species because it is durable and hard, has anti-termitic properties, so that there is no need to treat it chemically [1], its natural extractives make the wood resistant to fungal decay. Hence, it is suitable for bridges, boats, buildings, power-line poles and heavy construction as well as wood carving [4]
Major/bioactive phytochemicals:
Wood extract – antibacterial, termiticidal, fungicidal [5, 6]
References:
[1] https://www.mybis.gov.my/art/190
[2] https://www.nparks.gov.sg/FloraFaunaWeb/Flora/3/0/3040
[3] https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Neobalanocarpus+heimii
[4] Yamamoto, K & Tnah, LH. (1988). Journal of Tropical Forest Science 1 (1): pp. 51-55.
[5] Saidan, NH et al 2020 IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci. 549: 012073.
[6] Kadir R & Hale MD (2019). European Journal of Wood and Wood Products 77(3): 147–155.
