Hopea plagata
DIPTEROCARPACEAE. Indigenous. Endangered
SIZE: Up to 55m tall; trunk size 180cm diameter
TYPE: Evergreen
HABITAT: Primary forests at low and medium altitude
Yakal saplungan, like all dipterocarp species, yields first class timber. This is a fast-growing tree that can survive in the open field. It should be considered for reforestation and large-scale plantations, so as to remove it from endangered status. In Vietnam and Thailand, century-old yakal saplungan trees line roadsides. It has become increasingly popular for urban areas e.g. in Singapore.