Platymitra arborea
ANNONACEAE. Endemic. Rare
SIZE: Up to 40m tall; trunk size 80cm diameter
TYPE: Evergreen
HABITAT: Luzon, Leyte, Cebu and Mindanao; on primary lowland rainforests
Bolon is on the trees described by Father Blanco in his book Flora de Filipinas. The religious connection does not end there. The tree’s latin name Platymitra is Greek for flat-mitre, referring to the shape of the petals that resemble bishops’s headdresss. The bolon wood is regarded as a substitute for hard maple. There are only two species in the genus Platymira: One variety is found in other Southeast Asian countries, whereas bolon is only found in the Philippines.