Bucklandia populnea R. Br. ex Griffith

An evergreen, polygamo-monoecious, medium-sized tree up to 36 m tall; bole branchless for up to 24 m, up to 110(-210) cm in diameter, not buttressed; bark surface fissured with fine adhering scales, dark brown, inner bark fibrous, pink; crown deep, dense. Leaves arranged spirally, simple, entire but palmately 3-5-lobed in saplings, on long petioles; stipules large, joined face to face. Flowers in a peduncled, 7-20-flowered head, bisexual or female. Bisexual flower without sepals; petals 2-7, linear; stamens 10-14; disk 5-10-lobed; ovary semi-inferior, 2-locular with 6-8 ovules in each cell, styles 2. Female flower as the bisexual one but with 0-4 petals and no stamens. Infructescence a woody head of 4-valved capsules. Seeds 6-8 in each cell but only the lower 1-2 fertile and winged. Seedling with epigeal germination; cotyledons emergent, leafy; hypocotyl elongated; all leaves arranged spirally.

In Thailand flowering and fruiting is concentrated in January-June. Pollination is presumably by wind. The winged seed is dispersed by the wind.

E. populnea is an early successional tree occurring locally common or even gregariously in evergreen, disturbed or secondary, hill to montane rain forest.

E. populnea can be propagated by seed. The seed shows about 30% germination in 17-73 days. There is no difference in viability between seeds collected off the trees and those collected from the ground, provided the capsules of the latter have not yet opened. Seedlings develop very slowly in the nursery during the first 2 years, reaching 10-25 cm height in India.

Plantation: E. populnea is a light-demander and easily colonizes clearings, especially those made by man. In India it is planted fairly densely at 1.8 m x 1.8 m to produce long clean boles. In a 38-year-old plantation the mean annual volume increment was 5.3 m¦/ha. E. populnea does not coppice or produce root suckers.

There are about 247 000 seeds/kg.

Erosion control: In India E. populnea has been planted to stabilize slopes and to prevent soil erosion, especially in the Darjeeling Hills. Ornamental: E. populnea is planted in parks and along roads for its handsome foliage. Reclamation: In North Sumatra its used for reforestation.

Fodder: In India its leaves serve as fodder for goats. Timber: The wood is used for light and medium heavy construction under cover (beams, scantlings, planks), joinery, furniture, millwork, flooring and interior work. In India it is also used for bridges, door and window frames, general carpentry and tea chests. The wood is recommended for the production of veneer and plywood.