Shore contorta
DIPTEROCARPACEAE. Endemic
SIZE: Up to 50m tall; trunk size 100-182cm diameter
TYPE: Evergreen
HABITAT: Babuyan Islands to Mindanao; occurs in low altitude forests from sea level to 700m elevation
Watching the white lauan’s seed twirl like helicopter rotor blades until it detaches itself from its mother tree to fall slowly a distance away is almost melancholic, reminiscent of children leaving home to seek their own destiny. Nature’s unique propagation of the white lauan’s seeds is typical for this family of trees.