Koompassia excelsa (Becc.) Taub., in Engl. & Prantl. Nat. Pflanzenfam. 3, 3 (1891)

Synonyms
Abauria excelsa Becc.
Koompassia parvifolia Prain

Diagnostics
Emergent tree up to 76(-88) m tall and 152(-270) cm dbh. Stem very smooth. Stipules ca. 3 mm long. Leaves alternate, compound, leaflets alternate, penni-veined, glabrous, whitish below. Flowers ca. 2.5 mm diameter, white, placed in panicles. Fruits ca. 108 mm long, orange-red, extremely flattened, light weight wind dispersed pods, twisted along the length axis.

Description
Giant tree up to 75(-88) m high, 1(-2.7) m in diam.; buttresses steep, thick and up to 12 m high; bole straight, smooth and cylindric. Stipules oblong, 2-4.5 mm long, pubescent outside. Leaves 7-12(-17)-foliolate, rachis slender 6-7.5 cm, pubescent, glabrescent; petiole c. 1.5 cm; petiolules short, 1-2.5 mm, pubescent. Leaflets elliptic oblong, sometimes elliptic, symmetrical, 3.1-3.7(-4.2) by 1-1.4(-1.7) cm; base subrotundate to cuneate; apex obtuse or acute and slightly notched; glabrous except sparsely hairy above, densely pubescent beneath. Inflorescences up to 11(-12.5) cm long, rachis pubescent, densely flowered; pedicels c. 1.5 mm. densely puberulous. Calyx lobes lanceolate, equally sized, 2.5-3.3 mm long, thinly puberulous outside. Petals oblong or narrow-elliptic, 2.5-3 by 0.5 mm, acute or acuminate at the apex, glabrous. Stamens slighdy longer than the petals; filaments stout, about as long as the anthers; anthers oblong, 2-3 mm long, glabrous. Ovary sessile, oblong or obovate-oblong, compressed, glabrous except some hairs at the basal part; style very short (c. 0.3 mm) and stigma indistinct. Pods oblong or elliptic-obovate, 8-12.5 by 2-3.5 cm (including the wing), strongly veined, glabrous. Seeds very flat, compressed, oblong, 2-3 by 1 cm. [from Flora Malesiana]

Ecology
Primary forests, stream valleys and lower slopes of ridges, up to 400(-600) m altitude. The trees are often remaining in areas of secondary growth because they are rarely felled because they often house bees nests which are harvested for the honey. Also found on limestone.

Uses
Trees used to collect honey. Wood is used for charcoal, heavy construction and furniture.

Distribution
Peninsular Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo, Philippines.

Local names
Borneo: Benggeris, Bunggaris, Kayu raja, Kempas madu, Mengaris, Tanjit, Tapang.