Hydnocarpus polypetala (Sloot.) Sleum., Bot. Jahrb. 69 (1938)

Synonyms
Taraktogenos grandiflora Merr.
Taraktogenos polypetala Sloot.

Diagnostics
Mid-canopy tree up to 31 m tall and 42 cm dbh. Stipules ca. 9 mm long. Leaves alternate, simple, penni-veined, lower surface covered with red-brown hairs. Flowers ca. 14 mm diameter, white-yellow, placed in cymes. Fruits ca. 56 mm diameter, browninsh, berries/capsules covered by curved, spiny appendages.

Description
Tree 7-20(-30) m; bark pale brown, cracked; young branches, inflorescences and leaves beneath on midrib and nerves +/- densely ferrugineous-pubescent, otherwise glabrous or nearly so. Leaves oblong to elliptic-oblong, rarely lanceolate-oblong, abruptly (1-2 cm) acuminate at the apex, subrounded at the base, slightly inequilateral, subcoriaceous, entire, red-brown and mostly dull when dry, 16-35 by 6.5-11 cm; midrib and nerves little distinct above, very prominent beneath, nerves in 9-12 pairs, curved-anastomosing, veins subparallel, reticulations prominent; petiole 5-8 mm. Stipules oblong-lanceolate, subpersistent, 6-11 by 3 mm. Cymes compact, sometimes 3-4 fasciculate, few-flowered, +/- densely ferrugineous pubescent; peduncle stout, 1 cm. Pedicels 1.3-1.5(-2.5) cm. Male flowers: Sepals 8-10, yellow green, orbicular, very unequal, the 2 outer ones 1.5 cm diam., 2 subsequent ones 2 cm diam., inner ones gradually smaller, all glabrous. Petals white or greenish, 8-12, +/- obovate, unequal, outer ones +/- oblong, c. 1 by 0.8 cm, inner ones orbicular to ovate, nearly glabrous, gradually decreasing in size, 9-7 by 8-5 mm, all fimbriate; scales thick, sulcate, +/- densely brownish-pubescent, 3-4 by 1 x 1.5-3 mm. Filaments slender, glabrous, 1 cm; anthers elliptic, 3-4 mm. Rudiment of ovary pilose, 2 mm. Female flowers as male ones, but staminodes numerous; anthers sterile and slightly smaller in size. Ovary ovoid, ferrugineous-velvety; stigmas 5, radiate, flat, dilated and irregularly bilobed at the apex, blackish. Fruit globose, c. 9 cm diam., densely covered with numerous, irregular appendages, these flat, elongate-triangular and obtuse, softly ferrugineous-tomentose, c. 5-10 mm long, coherent at their bases and forming +/- longitudinal crests. Seeds c. 20, c. 2 by 1 cm. [from Flora Malesiana]

Ecology
Undisturbed mixed dipterocarp forests up to 600 m altitude. Often on hillsides and ridges, but also on alluvial sites and along rivers. On clay soils, but also on limestone.

Uses
Oil is extracted from the seeds.

Local names
Indonesia: Baliutod, Kelapa bout, Merore, Namih, Pagalasong, Senumpel landak, Sigi-baning.