White Lauan

Parashorea macrophylla Wyatt-Sm. ex P.S.Ashton

Parashorea macrophylla is a species in the Dipterocarpaceae family, native to Borneo, including Brunei, Sarawak, and West Kalimantan. Known as White Lauan, it is a large evergreen tree that can reach 50 metres in height with a trunk diameter of up to 100 cm. It thrives in lowland mixed dipterocarp rain forests, particularly in periodically flooded riverine areas up to 300 metres elevation. The species is named for its large leaves and is used for timber, marketed as white lauan or white seraya. It is found in protected areas in Sarawak but faces threats from habitat loss elsewhere.

Description

Parashorea macrophylla, described in 1962 by Wyatt-Sm. ex P.S.Ashton, is a tree species in the Dipterocarpaceae family. It is endemic to Borneo, occurring in Brunei, Sarawak, and West Kalimantan. The species is characterized by its large leaves, with the name macrophylla derived from Greek. It grows in lowland mixed dipterocarp rain forests, often in periodically flooded areas, up to 300 metres elevation. The timber is used commercially and sold under the names white lauan or white seraya. While it is found in protected areas in Sarawak, it is threatened by habitat loss in other regions.