Shorea roxburghii - Taloora Lac Tree

Taloora Lac Tree is a resin-bearing deciduous tree with simple alternate leaves. Stipules are up to 1 cm x 3 mm, linear blunt. Leaves are 7.5-19 cm x 2.5-7 cm, elliptic-oblong, thin, nerves 12-20 pairs, slender, rather prominent beneath, stalk 1.4-4.5 cm long. Flowers are borne in a terminal panicle, white and fragrant. Panicles are up to 8 cm long, axillary to ramiflorous, branchlets up to 4 cm long, bearing to 3 flowers, bracteoles fugaceous. Flowers are 8 mm x 4 mm, lanceolate, white, tinged red at base within, stamens 15. Fruit is a capsule with winged accrescent calyx. This plant is common in dry forests of the peninsula. Much adapted to fire. Lac insects are cultured on this plant to produce lac. The timber is used as white meranti. A low-quality resin is obtained from the tree. In Cambodia the bark is used as a masticatory in the betel-quid. Tree also produces a dye.