Homalium tomentosum (Vent.) Benth.

A deciduous medium-sized tree up to 30(-40) m tall, bole well-shaped, up to 40 cm in diameter, buttressed. "Leaves broadly obovate to obovate-oblong, (7.5-)10-15(-25) cm x 4-7(-13) cm, shallowly glandular-crenate, obtuse to apiculate, dull, glabrescent above, tomentose below; racemes simple or rarely 1-2-partite near the base, yellowish tomentose." Flowers in 2-3(-5)-flowered glomerules, 5-6-merous, sessile or nearly so, sepals and petals woolly, stamens solitary, inserted before each petal.

In Java H. tomentosum flowers from April to September and fruits are ripe from May to September. The often accrescent calyx and corolla form a parachute after anthesis. Thus seed dispersal is mainly by wind.

H. tomentosum is locally common but not gregarious in mixed deciduous forest, sometimes with bamboo, and in teak forest. It usually occurs where the dry monsoon is well pronounced, not seldom on calcareous soil.

Seeds are reported to have a very low germination capacity, less than 5%. Germination starts 3-6 weeks after sowing. Direct sowing in the field is fairly successful for this species. Plantation establishment by means of stumps or wildlings is also satisfactory. Natural regeneration is abundant and seedlings can tolerate moderate shade.

Plantation: The mean heights of H. tomentosum trees in a plantation after 2 and 5 years are 3 m and 5 m, respectively, with a mean diameter of 7 cm at the age of 5 years. Initial growth and canopy closure of H. tomentosum is slow. This species is resistant to fire. It is reported to coppice well.

There are approximately 453 000 air-dried seeds of H. tomentosum per kg.

Reclamation: H. tomentosum might be useful for afforestation.

Timber: The wood is used as malas and for the manufacture of matches.