Homalium brevidens
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Homalium brevidens | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Salicaceae |
| Genus: | Homalium |
| Species: | H. brevidens |
| Binomial name | |
| Homalium brevidens | |
Homalium brevidens is a shrub or tree species in the family Salicaceae, found in Laos and Cambodia.[3]
It grows 2-6m tall, with simple broad leaves, and is found in flooded forests in Cambodia.[4][5] These forests, also known as swamp forests, is a community where the trees are usually 7-15(-20)m tall, that occurs along the shores of the lake Tonle Sap and nearby rivers, and is flooded to a maximum of 4-6m of water for up to 8 months per year. The 2 main species of tree in these forests are Barringtonia acutangula and Diospyros cambodiana, with H. brevidens one of the other common tree species.[6] On islands of the Mekong, in Steung Treng and Kratie provinces, north-central Cambodia, the tree occurs with medium abundance in the Riverine Strand vegetation zone (last to be flooded, first to be exposed).[7] Here it contributes to a closed canopy, growing above metamorphic sandstone bedrock at an elevation of 25-30m above sea level. On these islands it flowers from June to July, and fruits from September to October.
The plant is known as rotèang or stiëw in Khmer.[4] Wood from the shrub is used to make charcoal, its bark is used to caulk boats.
