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Dipterocarpaceae are typical tropical plants (dipterocarp forests) that are famous for its high economic value because of their production of fragrant oleoresins, top-quality timber and usage in traditional Chinese medicine. Currently, the lack of Dipterocarpaceae genomes has been a limiting factor to decipher the fragrant oleoresin biosynthesis and gain evolutionary insights into high-quality wood formation in Dipterocarpaceae. We generated chromosome-level genome assemblies for two representative Dipterocarpaceae species viz. Dipterocarpus turbinatus Gaertn. f. and Hopea hainanensis Merr. et Chun. Our whole-genome duplication (WGD) analysis revealed that Dipterocarpaceae underwent a shared WGD event, which showed significant impacts on increased copy numbers of genes related to the biosynthesis of terpene, BAHD acyltransferases, fatty acid, as well as benzenoid/phenylpropanoid, which probably confer to the formation of their characteristic fragrant oleoresin. Additionally, compared to common soft wood plants, the expansion of gene families was also found to be associated with wood formation, such as in CESA (cellulose synthase), CSLE (Cellulose synthase-like protein E), laccase and peroxidase in Dipterocarpaceae genomes, which might also contribute to the formation of harder, stronger and high-density timbers. Finally, an integrative analysis on a combination of genomic, transcriptomic and metabolic data from different tissues provided further insights into the molecular basis of fragrant oleoresins biosynthesis and high-quality wood formation of Dipterocarpaceae. Our study contributes the first two representative genomes for Dipterocarpaceae, which are valuable genetic resources for further researches on the fragrant oleoresins and superior-quality timber, genome-assisted breeding and improvement, and conservation biology of this family.

Dipterocarpaceae is known as a very important tree family both biologically and economically. Its distribution around the world covers the areas of Peninsular Malaysia, the Philippines, Sumatra, Kalimantan, Java, Sulawesi, Maluku to Papua. Dipterocarpaceae family has a high economic value, such as producing wood, balsam, resin, charcoal, fat, fruit, bark, essential oil, and camphor. Its products have very important roles for domestic use and export needs. As representatives of Dipterocarpaceae, the economic value of Shorea Roxb. ex Gaertner f, Dipterocarpus Gaertner f, and Dryobalanops Gaertner f will be discussed. Considering the very important role of Dipterocarpaceae, both biologically and economically, it is necessary to handle it sustainably, through the following actions such as conservation of genetic resources, seed physiology, seed handling, seedling ecology, root symbiosis and nutrition, pest and disease, management of natural forest, and plantation, and also non-timber forest product from Dipterocarpaceae. Dipterocarpaceae dikenal sebagai famili pohon yang sangat penting baik secara biologis maupun ekonomis. Penyebarannya di seluruh dunia meliputi wilayah Semenanjung Malaysia, Filipina, Sumatera, Kalimantan, Jawa, Sulawesi, Maluku hingga Papua. Famili Dipterocarpaceae memiliki nilai ekonomi yang tinggi, seperti menghasilkan kayu, balsam, damar, arang, lemak, buah, kulit kayu, minyak atsiri, dan kapur barus. Produk-produknya memiliki peran yang sangat penting untuk kebutuhan domestik dan ekspor. Sebagai perwakilan Dipterocarpace, nilai ekonomi Shorea Roxb. ex Gaertner f, Dipterocarpus Gaertner f, dan Dryobalanops Gaertner f akan dibahas. Mengingat peranan Dipterocarpaceae yang sangat penting, baik secara biologis maupun ekonomis, maka perlu dilakukan penanganan secara berkelanjutan, melalui tindakan-tindakan seperti konservasi sumber daya genetik, fisiologi benih, penanganan benih, ekologi semai, simbiosis dan nutrisi akar, hama dan penyakit, pengelolaan hutan alam, dan perkebunan, serta hasil hutan bukan kayu dari Dipterocarpaceae.

Hyperdiverse tropical rainforests, such as the aseasonal forests in Southeast Asia, are supported by high annual rainfall. Its canopy is dominated by the species-rich tree family of Dipterocarpaceae (Asian dipterocarps), which has both ecological (e.g., supports flora and fauna) and economical (e.g., timber production) importance. Recent ecological studies suggested that rare irregular drought events may be an environmental stress and signal for the tropical trees. We assembled the genome of a widespread but near threatened dipterocarp, Shorea leprosula, and analyzed the transcriptome sequences of ten dipterocarp species representing seven genera. Comparative genomic and molecular dating analyses suggested a whole-genome duplication close to the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event followed by the diversification of major dipterocarp lineages (i.e. Dipterocarpoideae). Interestingly, the retained duplicated genes were enriched for genes upregulated by no-irrigation treatment. These findings provide molecular support for the relevance of drought for tropical trees despite the lack of an annual dry season., Ng, Kobayashi, et al. present the genome assembly for the dipterocarp Shorea leprosula and present transcriptome data for ten more dipterocarp species of seven genera. The Shorea leprosula genome, along with drought stress experiments, demonstrate evidence for a whole-genome duplication (WGD) event dated to the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary, with WGD duplicates enriched in genes upregulated during the drought response.

During our survey of the diversity of woody litter fungi in China and Thailand, three Hermatomyces species were collected from dead woody twigs of Dipterocarpus sp. (Dipterocarpaceae) and Ehretia acuminata (Boraginaceae). Both morphology and multigene analyses revealed two taxa as new species (Hermatomyces turbinatus and H. jinghaensis) and the remaining collections as new records of H. sphaericus. Hermatomyces turbinatus is characterized by 1) dimorphic conidia, having circular to oval lenticular conidia and 2) turbinate conidia consisting of two columns with two septa composed of 2–3 cells in each column. Hermatomyces jinghaensis is characterized by dimorphic conidia, having circular to oval lenticular conidia and clavate or subcylindrical to cylindrical conidia and consisting of one or two columns with 6–8 cells in each column. Phylogenetic analyses of combined LSU, ITS, tub2, tef1-α and rpb2 sequence data supports the placement of these new taxa within Hermatomycetaceae with high statistical support.

The Dipterocarpaceae family is one of the identified plant groups with high conservation value that exist in Weh Island Nature Tourism Park. However, the data availability on the species diversity and population structure of Dipterocarpaceae in Weh island in particular and Aceh in general is still very limited. Thus, it is necessary to conduct studies on species diversity and population structure of Dipterocarpaceae from Weh Island. This study aims to obtain data on species abundance and diversity, species composition of each stratum, population structure, and stand structure of Dipterocarpaceae in Weh Island Nature Tourism Park. This research utilized transect method with randomly selected plots according to topographic conditions. We found two Dipterocarpaceae species: Shorea sumatrana (Slooten) Desch and Dipterocarpus hasseltii Blume. Shorea sumatrana (Slooten) Desch has the greatest abundance of all types and strata. The diversity of Dipterocarpaceae species in Weh Island Nature Tourism Park is categorized as low because the diversity index value is in the range of H'1. This means that the presence of seedling and sapling strata from each species has a major effect on the survival of the Dipterocarpaceae family in the future. The stand structure of the Dipterocarpaceae family in normal conditions is indicated by an inverted “J” shaped diagram.

Species composition varies greatly dependent on water availability gradients. In Northeast Thailand, dry deciduous forests (DDF) and dry evergreen forests (DEF) show contrasting species composition due to differences in soil structure and moisture. Although plant traits (physiological and morphological characteristics) are known to be involved in species distributions, which traits underpin these distinct distributions (either dry DDF or less-dry DEF) remain unclear. Here, we examined the differentiation of 21 leaf and stem traits between DDF and DEF using 12 dipterocarp species. We found that DDF species showed higher water use efficiency and higher water storage capacity in the lamina and petiole, higher leaf nitrogen content, higher stomatal density, larger leaves, thicker mesophyll layers, and a higher rate of water loss under severe dehydration than DEF species. Leaf osmotic potential at full turgor, wood density, and wood water content were not significantly different between DDF and DEF. We also observed a negative relationship between the potential photosynthetic capacity and the water loss rate during severe dehydration across species. Our results suggest that the differences in leaf traits related to photosynthesis and dehydration avoidance among the tree species produce niche differences along the soil water availability in tropical dry forests.

Planting high-quality seedlings with desirable growth attributes are associated with successful survival and growth performance following outplanting. Considering that most tree species from the Dipterocarpaceae family are on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, proper conservation of such species is necessary. Very little is known with no clear consensus regarding whether increasing the seedling production period enhances outplanting survival and growth potential of tropical dipterocarp species planted under enrichment planting in Malaysia. In this study, one potential Bornean tropical indigenous species, Shorea macrophylla (de Vriese) P.S. Ashton, was produced in the Universiti Malaysia Sarawak nursery and outplanted at Sampadi Forest Reserve, Sarawak. Different nursery production periods (3, 6, 9, and 24 months) were tested for the species at the time of planting as well as for the subsequent growth performance after 12, 24, and 42 months of outplanting. The findings revealed that older (9- and 24-month-old) S. macrophylla seedlings were morphologically larger from younger (3- and 6-month-old) seedlings. Nonetheless, the overall pooled mean survival rates declined from 61.7 to 44.6% after 12, 24, and 42 months of outplanting. For the 42-month period, the survival rate for the 9-month-old seedlings was significantly higher than that for the 3-, 6-, and 24-month-old seedlings. Notwithstanding, the relative growth rate of the stem diameter was higher for the 3- and 9-month-old seedlings than for the 6- and 24-month-old seedlings after 42 months of outplanting. Thus, maintaining plant material from the seedlings produced at 3, 6, and 9 months of age would be beneficial for the initiation of transplantation in restoration programmes in Sarawak. The 24-month-old seedlings will also be useful, especially during irregular flowering and unpredictable fruiting intervals. A further experimental study on other environmental factors that could influence the outplanting performance of the seedlings in the tropical forest restoration area of Sarawak, Malaysia, is necessary.

In the course of the present study, surveys on occurrence and distribution of ectomycorrhizal (EcM) fungi in tropical sal forests of foothills of the Himalayas, India, were undertaken. The species of two genera of agarics, namely Asproinocybe and Inocybe, were found organically associated with the roots of Shorea robusta (sal tree). However, prior to our study the genus Asproinocybe has not been reported from India. In this article, the morpho-anatomical details of mycorrhizal roots of Shorea robusta associated with Asproinocybe lactifera and Inocybe purpureoflavida are provided for the first time. The EcM colonized roots of the two species are distinguished by differences in the shape and colour of the roots, surface texture, size and shape of cystidia, type of mantle, as well as different chemical reactions. Asproinocybe lactifera EcM is mainly characterised by a monopodial pinnate mycorrhizal system with the dark brown to reddish brown and loose cottony surface, while in Inocybe purpureoflavida it is irregularly pinnate to coralloid, silvery grey to reddish brown, with densely woolly surface. The outer mantle layer is heterogeneous with obclavate to awl-shaped cystidia in Asproinocybe lactifera, whereas Inocybe purpureoflavida EcM have a plectenchymatous outer mantle with subcylindrical to obclavate metuloidal and non-metuloidal cystidia. The presence of lactifers in the mantle is a unique feature in Asproinocybe lactifera as compared to Inocybe purpureoflavida.

This study has shown for the first time the antimicrobial, antioxidant and cytotoxicity of 3 fractions of acetone extract, including hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetate from flowers of Dipterocarpus intricatus. Antibacterial test using disc diffusion method showed that the chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions inhibited the growth of all the tested bacteria, including Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enteritidis, Salmonella typhimurium, Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus while the hexane fraction showed the antibacterial activity against B. cereus and S. enteritidis. Antioxidant activity and cancer cell resistance of those extracts were conducted using DPPH and MTT methods respectively. As a result, the DPPH radical scavenging activity of the hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions were determined with the IC50 values of 0.508, 0.22 and 0.075 mg/mL respectively while the cytotoxicity to HepG2 cell line of those fractions was 163.3 ppm, 106.7 ppm and 459.3 ppm. These results suggested the potential application of these fractions isolated from D. intricatus flowers as the natural antimicrobial, antioxidant and cytotoxic agents for medicine.

Phellinus Quel. is a member of family Hymenochaetaceae of the order Hymenochaetales. This genus comprises wood-inhabiting, saprophytic and parasitic species. Species of Phellinus sensu lato are known to have large host range and cause white rot of various types to live standing or dead trees from all over the world. The current study is based on a thorough study of literature to document the host range of Phellinus species from India. The study indicated that one hundred and seventy four plant species from 51 families are found to be infected by Phellinus species. The families found to be the most affected are Fabaceae, Combretaceae, Meliaceae, Dipterocarpaceae, Anacardiaceae, Myrtaceae, Meliaceae, Lauraceae, Fagaceae, Rosaceae. Many plant (tree) species are affected by Phellinus; this establishes it as a potential pathogen and wood decay fungi. The present study also reports Phellinus from almost all over India and every climatic zones. This indicated the high tolerance and acclimatization of Phellinus towards diverse climatic conditions. The most affected host is Artocarpus followed by Terminalia and Acacia. Although the study reports Phellinus from diverse climatic zones of India, the most affected families and genera are from moist tropical conditions. This indicates that Phellinus has vigorous activity in warm and moist areas and affects diverse plant/tree species in these areas like Maharashtra and Kerala. The states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Union Territories, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland are still left to be explored. The present study has key significance in biodiversity, medicinal as well as the pathogenic study of Phellinus. It provides an overall host range of genus Phellinus, confirming its vast host diversity. The information could further be used in disease, biodiversity and plant pathological assessments.

In 1994 Corner published five new species within the genus Psathyrella, all having been collected on the Malay Peninsula between 1929 and 1930. Three of these species belong to the genus Hebeloma and with their vinaceous colored lamellae and spore print, when fresh, they belong to H. sect. Porphyrospora. Of these three species, only one, P. flavidifolia, was validly published and thus we herewith recombine it as H. flavidifolium. The other two species, P. splendens and P. verrucispora, are synonyms of H. parvisporum and H. lactariolens, respectively. We also describe a new Malayan species, H. radicans, which also belongs to H. sect. Porphyrospora. These findings confirm the western Pacific Rim as a diversity hotspot for H. sect. Porphyrospora. The records described within this paper, represent the first recognition that the genus Hebeloma, and indeed that members of the ectomycorrhizal Hymenogastraceae, are present on the Malay Peninsula.

not available Bangladesh J. Plant Taxon. 27(2): 461-465, 2020 (December)

Microsatellite markers were isolated and characterized for Hopea hainanensis Merrill & Chun, an endangered tree species with scattered distribution in Hainan Island and northern Vietnam. Twenty‐six microsatellite markers were developed based on next‐generation sequencing data and were genotyped by capillary electrophoresis on an ABI 3730xl DNA Analyzer. Twelve markers were found to be polymorphic in H. hainanensis. GENODIVE analyses indicated that the number of alleles ranged from 2 to 6 per locus, and the observed and expected heterozygosity varied from 0 to 0.755 and from 0.259 to 0.779, respectively. Primer transferability was tested with Hopea chinensis Hand.‐Mazz. and Hopea reticulata Tardieu, in which 3 and 7 microsatellite markers were found to be polymorphic, separately. The results showed that H. reticulata and H. hainanensis had similar levels of genetic diversity. A neighbor joining dendrogram clustered all individuals into two major groups, one of which was exclusively constituted by H. hainanensis, while the other consisted of two subgroups, corresponding to H. reticulata and H. chinensis, respectively. The 12 polymorphic microsatellite markers could be applied to study genetic diversity, population differentiation, mating system, and fine‐scale spatial genetic structures of H. hainanensis as well as its close relatives, facilitating the conservation and restoration of these endangered but valuable Hopea species., We reported, for the first time, twelve polymorphic microsatellite markers for an endangered tree species Hopea hainanensis Merrill & Chun. These newly developed microsatellite markers could be applied to study genetic diversity, population structure, and mating system of H. hainanensis, as well as its close relatives, facilitating the conservation and restoration of these endangered and valuable Hopea species.

Rajah Sikatuna Protected Landscape (RSPL), considered the last frontier within the Central Visayas region, is an ideal location for flora and fauna research due to its rich biodiversity. This recent study was conducted to determine the plant species composition and diversity and to select priority areas for conservation to update management strategy. A field survey was carried out in fifteen (15) 20 m x 100 m nested plots established randomly in the forest over limestone of RSPL from July to October 2019. Three hundred and sixty eight (368) species of plants were identified up to species level. This represented 327 angiosperms, one gymnosperm and 40 pteridophytes. Common plant families with more than 10 representative species were Moraceae, Meliaceae, Lauraceae, Dipterocarpaceae, Rubiaceae, Myrtaceae, Phyllanthaceae, Annonaceae, Araceae and Lauraceae. There were 93 (28%) endemic and 46 (14%) threatened species (vulnerable to critically endangered) observed. The cluster analysis and species accumulation curve suggests that plant species are not homogeneously distributed which implies that different management and conservation strategies should be implemented across RSPL. These results not only indicate the importance of RSPL, but also highlights areas with higher diversity and concentration of threatened and endemic species as a special area of concern. Furthermore, areas with high biodiversity value were recommended for immediate protection, while areas with low biodiversity value were recommended for reforestation programmes using species with high importance value.

Premise Leaf phenology is an essential developmental process in trees and an important component in understanding climate change. However, little is known about the regulation of leaf phenology in tropical trees. Methods To understand the regulation by temperature of leaf phenology in tropical trees, we performed daily observations of leaf production under rainfall‐independent conditions using saplings of Shorea leprosula and Neobalanocarpus heimii, both species of Dipterocarpaceae, a dominant tree family of Southeast Asia. We analyzed the time‐series data obtained using empirical dynamic modeling (EDM) and conducted growth chamber experiments. Results Leaf production by dipterocarps fluctuated in the absence of fluctuation in rainfall, and the peaks of leaf production were more frequent than those of day length, suggesting that leaf production cannot be fully explained by these environmental factors, although they have been proposed as regulators of leaf phenology in dipterocarps. Instead, EDM suggested a causal relationship between temperature and leaf production in dipterocarps. Leaf production by N. heimii saplings in chambers significantly increased when temperature was increased after long‐term low‐temperature treatment. This increase in leaf production was observed even when only nighttime temperature was elevated, suggesting that the effect of temperature on development is not mediated by photosynthesis. Conclusions Because seasonal variation in temperature in the tropics is small, effects on leaf phenology have been overlooked. However, our results suggest that temperature is a regulator of leaf phenology in dipterocarps. This information will contribute to better understanding of the effects of climate change in the tropics.

The richness and diversity of woody plants are important indices for maintaining and conserving tropical forests. In this study, we evaluated the alpha diversity and richness indices of some ecologically important primary and old secondary forests in Penang, Malaysia. Plots of size 2000 m2 which were further divided into 5 subplots of size 20 x 20 m2 were established in each of five forests reserves across Penang. A total of 1,161 individuals of trees and lianas belonging to 54 different families and 284 species were enumerated in all the studied forests. Euphorbiaceae, Clusiaceae and Dipterocarpaceae were the most prominent families with highest number of species. Vatica bella was the most abundant plant with 127 individuals. Knema curtisii, Gluta elegans, Mangifera gracilipes and Callerya atropurpurea were more common to all the forests. All the forests could be described as highly rich in woody plant species and diverse due to the high diversity indices estimated. There is virtually no much difference in the diversity indices between the primary and old secondary forests probably due to the recuperating nature of the old secondary forests after years of abandonment.

Fungal pathogens are implicated in driving tropical plant diversity by facilitating strong, negative density‐dependent mortality of conspecific seedlings (C‐NDD). Assessment of the role of fungal pathogens in mediating coexistence derives from relatively few tree species and predominantly the Neotropics, limiting our understanding of their role in maintaining hyper‐diversity in many tropical forests. A key question is whether fungal pathogen‐mediated C‐NDD seedling mortality is ubiquitous across diverse plant communities. Using a manipulative shadehouse experiment, we tested the role of fungal pathogens in mediating C‐NDD seedling mortality of eight mast fruiting Bornean trees, typical of the species‐rich forests of South East Asia. We demonstrate species‐specific responses of seedlings to fungicide and density treatments, generating weak negative density‐dependent mortality. Overall seedling mortality was low and likely insufficient to promote overall community diversity. Although conducted in the same way as previous studies, we find little evidence that fungal pathogens play a substantial role in determining patterns of seedling mortality in a SE Asian mast fruiting forest, questioning our understanding of how Janzen‐Connell mechanisms structure the plant communities of this globally important forest type., Assessment of the role of fungal pathogens in mediating coexistence derives from relatively few tree species and predominantly the Neotropics, limiting our understanding of their role in maintaining hyper‐diversity in many tropical forests. Using a manipulative shadehouse experiment, we find little evidence that fungal pathogens play a substantial role in determining patterns of seedling mortality of eight mast fruiting Bornean trees. Our results starkly contrast those of similar neotropical studies, questioning our understanding of how Janzen–Connell mechanisms structure the plant communities of this globally important forest type.

Diabetic mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder that is associated with several complications including testicular dysfunction. This research investigated the protective action of the ethyl acetate extract from Shorea roxburghii (SRE) on diabetes induced testicular damage in rats. Diabetic rats were orally administered with SRE at doses of 100 and 400 mg/kg for 4 weeks. SRE improved the body weight gain, testes weight, testes index and increased serum concentration of testosterone. Furthermore, SRE increased the testicular antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase. In addition, SRE ameliorated testicular inflammatory mediators such as myeloperoxidase, tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 6, p38 MAPK and nuclear factor kappa B activation and decreased testicular cell apoptosis in the treated diabetic rats. SRE also raised sperm parameters after treatment of diabetic rats. Conclusively, our results suggested that SRE ameliorated diabetes induced testicular damage by inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammation.

Pooti ( Hopea gregaria Slooten) is a tree species of the Dipterocarpaceae . It is an endemic tree in Southeast Sulawesi and its existence is endangered. Flowering and fruiting periods of pooti is certainly unknown and do not produce fruit s regular r y which cause s problem in generative propagation. One of the factors that influence the success of shoot cuttings is the presence of growth regulating substance, including the use of R ootone-F. The purpose of this study was to obtain the right dosage of growth regulators for the successful growth of pooti shoot cuttings . Design of the research was completely randomized design consisting of 8 concentrations of R ootone-F, i.e. (a) 0 ppm, (b) 50 ppm, (c) 75 ppm, (d) 100 ppm, (e) 125 ppm (f) 150 ppm, (g) 175 ppm and (h) 200 ppm. The result showed that Rootone-F treatment had no t significant effect on all observed variables except for the number of secondary roots. Application of 200 ppm Rootone-F had significantly increased in secondary roots number of pooti shoot cuttings. Pooti plants are easily propagated by shoot cuttings without any treatment of Rootone-F .

The presence of stipular and leaf blade extra floral nectaries and associated ant activity, including brood raising within stipules, is reported for saplings of Shorea macrophylla [sect. Pachycarpae] in Kuching Division, Sarawak.

Community structure and regeneration are the determinant factors for the sustainability of forests. The present study aims to: (1) know the community structure and regeneration of Sal (Shorea robusta Gaertn.)-dominated community forests at two developmental stages (age of forests after community management) of Dadeldhura District of western Nepal and (2) know the impacts of management duration on forest regeneration. Vegetation data were collected from 105 square plots (100, 25 and 4 m2) applying a nested quadrat method. Forty-two tree species belonging 34 genera and 20 families and 41 shrub species belonging 35 genera and 24 families were recorded. Sal was the dominant species, while Dipterocarpaceae was the dominant family of the forests. Per hectare, there were 4408 plants, 15.4 m2 basal area, 15,905 seedlings, 1876 saplings and 1287 trees. Seedling, sapling and tree density and size class distribution curve indicate the satisfactory regeneration status of the forest with a stable population. Regeneration was affected by species richness, canopy cover, soil pH and nitrogen. Density and regeneration were higher in the forest at the developmental stage of 20 years than the forest at the developmental stage of 10 years.

KALIMA, T., SUHARTI, S., SUMARHANI & TRETHOWAN, L. A. 2020. Tree species diversity and ethnobotany of degraded peat swamp forest in Central Kalimantan. Reinwardtia 19(1): 27‒54. ‒‒ Most peat swamp forest has been degraded. This has resulted in decline of its biodiversity. The objective of this study was to identify the composition, diversity, and plants used by local people in Bagantung swamp forest. The study was conducted on degraded peat swamp forest area in Bagantung, Mantangai Sub-District, Kapuas District, Central Kalimantan Province. The Shannon-Wiener (H’) and the Importance Value (IV) indices were used for analyzing the species diversity and the species importance across a number of forest plots. Useful tree species were identified by interviewing local villagers. There were 2,562 individual plants in 32 plots (each plot 20 m × 20 m). We identified 100 tree species and 16 non-tree species, from 74 genera, and 46 families. Myrtaceae, Sapotaceae, Ebenaceae, Dipterocarpaceae and Clusiaceae were the most dominant families. Large tree (H’=1.46) and small tree diversity was similar (H’=1.75). In both small and large tree size classes Calophyllum nodusum was the most dominant species. There were 16 tree species and two non-tree species used by local people for house and boat construction, furniture, handicrafts, medicine, and insect repellent.

The study investigated the leaf architecture and petiole anatomy of eight Dipterocarpus (Dipterocarpaceae) species growing in Mount Makiling Forest Reserve (MMFR) in the Philippines to delineate the species, especially during their non-flowering phase. Leaf and petiole samples from MMFR were examined following the manual on leaf architecture studies. Freehand technique was used to examine the stomata and petiole characters. A UPGMA phenogram was then generated to determine the relationships among Dipterocarpus species using 26 leaf and petiole characters. The most useful characters to delineate Dipterocarpus species are the presence of trichomes, the arrangement of vascular bundles (medullary and outer vascular bundles), areolation, fimbrial vein, and leaf size. Other characters viz., the laminar ratio, blade class, laminar shape, base shape, margin type, and intersecondary, and layers and shape of parenchyma and collenchyma cells were useful as unifying characters. Therefore, certain characters of the leaf architecture and petiole anatomy may be used as taxonomic markers to delineate and correlate the Dipterocarpus species in the Philippines particularly during the nonflowering phase of the species. However, further investigations using samples from the wild populations of the species and molecular techniques may be done to elucidate the taxonomic use of the characters presented in this study. Bangladesh J. Plant Taxon. 27(1): 1-14, 2020 (June)

Tropical peat swamp forest (PSF) has a high species diversity and value including timber value. The valuation of timber is approached by calculating the stand volume. However, the volume model at PSF is not available for every species and species groups in specific site. This study aims to obtain a volume estimation model of species groups of tree species in peat swamp forest in Central Kalimantan. The model development and validation used 120 sample trees of the dipterocarpaceae and non-dipterocarpacae species. The distribution of sample trees is 70 % for the development model and 30 % for the validation stage. Modeling used linear and non-linear models). The selection of the best model used several criteria including: coefficient of determination, relative deviation (SR 95 %). The models compiled met the SA and SR criteria so that the models were very accurate in estimating tree volume at the tree level, as individuals and stands. The implication of this research was that the whole species model can be used to estimate the volume of trees in peat swamp forest.

Trade-offs in wood anatomical characteristics reflect different strategies used by trees to deal with water transport in response to variation in environmental conditions. To study vascular strategies for Bornean rainforest trees, we compared water transport-related anatomical characteristics in branch wood between the common tree species Vatica dulitensis (Dipterocarpaceae) from old-growth forest and the common pioneer tree species Macaranga gigantea (Euphorbiaceae) from selectively logged forest. We hypothesised that the vessel traits of the pioneer species would reflect the need to capture and transport resources to support its fast growth rate (resource-acquisitive strategy), while the species of the old-growth forest would display more conservative vessel traits (resource-conservative strategy). We found that M. gigantea had significantly greater vessel area, hydraulically weighted diameter, vessel area to number ratio, and potential hydraulic conductivity than V. dulitensis. These results suggest that vessel traits of the common old-growth species would ensure high hydraulic safety during occasional drought when soil moisture is limited, while the common species of selectively logged forest possesses an efficient water transport system but its vessels would confer lower hydraulic safety during drought conditions. These contrasting vascular strategies highlight the potential for divergent responses of species of Bornean forest trees to future climatic extremes.

A new species of the important timber trees family Dipterocarpaceae, Hopea sasidharanii Robi & Sujanapal, from Shenduruny Wildlife Sanctuary of Kerala, India is described and illustrated.

Dipterocarpus alatus plays a dominant role in the ecology and economics of riparian forests in Thailand. Using MaxEnt modeling, we identified potentially suitable regions for D. alatus along the Chao Phraya River in central Thailand. The modeling procedure used 465 occurrence records and 19 Worldclim environmental factors as well as aspect, slope and elevation data. The results indicated that precipitation is the key influential factor affecting the distribution of D. alatus. Highly suitable regions for this species included Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani, Loburi, Phra Nakhon Si Ayudhya, and Ang Thong Provinces along the Chao Phraya River. The statistically significant area under the receiver operating characteristics curve value (0.904) indicated that MaxEnt can be used to accurately predict suitable regions for growing commercially valuable plants such as D. alatus. These model results can facilitate habitat conservation and sustainable resource utilization of rare and important plants.

The habitat structure and floristic composition examined for this study are of great importance, providing a scientific baseline of information for developing a biodiversity database and in supporting crucial information for the management decision-making process of the buffer zones. The primary objective of this study was to examine the current status of species composition and stand structure of moist evergreen forests distributed in the TNR buffer zone. Forest inventory was conducted in the primary moist evergreen forest (~1 ha) and secondary moist evergreen forest (~1 ha). In the TNR buffer zone, 83 species belonging to 31 families in the primary moist evergreen forest and 86 species belonging to 32 families in the secondary moist evergreen forest were found. The most dominant families in the primary moist evergreen forest were Dipterocarpaceae, Sapindaceae, Meliaceae, Myrtaceae, and Myristicaceae; at species level; this forest was composed of Nephelium lappaceum, Myristica malabarica, Nephelium laurium, Aglaia andamanica, and Diospyros peregrine. The most dominant families in the secondary moist evergreen forest were Myrtaceae, Sapindaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Myristicaceae, and Lauraceae, while Nephelium lappaceum, Syzygium claviflorum, Syzygium sp-1, Eugenia oblate, and Myristica angustifolia were the most dominant at the species level. The results of S?rensen’s similarity index based on common species (Ks) and the similarity index based on species dominance (Kd) were observed at about 55% and 75% between the primary and secondary moist evergreen forests. The basal area (51.39 m2.ha-1) of the primary moist evergreen forest was higher than that (44.50 m2.ha-1) of the secondary moist evergreen forest. Between these two forest types, the Shannon-Wiener, the Simpson and the Evenness indices were not significantly different at (p ere 910 (±184) and 991 (±183). ?

Dry dipterocarp forests are among the most common habitat types in Thailand. Russulaceae are known as common ectomycorrhizal symbionts of Dipterocarpaceae trees in this type of habitat. The present study aims to identify collections of Russula subsection Amoeninae Buyck from dry dipterocarp forests in Thailand. A multi-locus phylogenetic analysis placed Thai Amoeninae collections in two novel lineages, and they are described here as Russula bellissima sp. nov. and R. luteonana sp. nov. The closest identified relatives of both species were sequestrate species suggesting that they may belong to drought-adapted lineages. The analysis of publicly available ITS sequences in R. subsect. Amoeninae did not confirm evidence of any of the new species occurring in other Asian regions, indicating that dry dipterocarp forests might harbor a novel community of ectomycorrhizal fungi. Macromorphological characters are variable and are not totally reliable for distinguishing the new species from other previously described Asian Amoeninae species. Both new species are defined by a combination of differentiated micromorphological characteristics in spore ornamentation, hymenial cystidia and hyphal terminations in the pileipellis. The new Amoeninae species may correspond to some Russula species collected for consumption in Thailand, and the detailed description of the new species can be used for better identification of edible species and food safety in the region.

This paper reports on the development of a web based virtual forest environment to raise the awareness of threatened plant species in particular for the family of Dipterocarpaceae. Tropical forests in Malaysia consists of unique ecosystems which are home to flora and fauna including the threatened plant species that are listed in the Red List by the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia. However, the lack of awareness on the threatened plant species somehow can jeopardise on the effort on conservation of the forest. A web based utilizing virtual environment were developed that focussed on threatened plant species. User experiments were conducted to evaluate the user acceptance on the developed application. 30 participants were divided into two groups, brochures and web version. Results showed that participants who completed the experiments with web based virtual environment increased their level of awareness as compared to the usage of conventional brochures on threatened plant species.

The physiological response of trees to drought is crucial for understanding the risk of mortality and its feedbacks to climate under the increase in droughts due to climate change, especially for the largest trees in tropical rainforests because of their large contribution to total carbon storage and water use. We determined the response of the mean canopy stomatal conductance per unit leaf area (gs) and whole-tree hydraulic conductance (Gp) of the largest individuals (38–53 m in height) of a typical canopy tree species in a Bornean tropical rainforest, Dryobalanops aromatica C.F.Gaertn., to soil moisture reduction by a 4-month rainfall exclusion experiment (REE) based on the measurements of sap flux and leaf water potentials at midday and dawn. In the mesic condition, the gs at vapor pressure deficit (D) = 1 kPa (gsref) was small compared with the reported values in various biomes. The sensitivity of gs to D (m) at a given gsref (m/gsref) was ≥ 0.6 irrespective of soil moisture conditions, indicating intrinsically sensitive stomatal control with increasing D. The REE caused greater soil drought and decreased the mean leaf water potentials at midday and dawn to the more negative values than the control under the relatively dry conditions due to natural reduction in rainfall. However, the REE did not cause a greater decrease in gs nor any clear alteration in the sensitivity of gs to D compared with the control, and induced greater decreases in Gp during REE than the control. Thus, though the small gs and the sensitive stomatal response to D indicate the water saving characteristics of the studied trees under usual mesic conditions, their limited stomatal regulation in response to soil drought by REE and the resulting decline in Gp might suggest a poor resistance to the unusually severe drought expected in the future.

Pseudotulostoma is a genus described for fungi with stipitate sporocarps that have an exposed gleba and a woody, volvate base. The two species that belong to this genus (P. volvatum and P. japonicum) form unusual epigeous ascomata that are atypical among the hypogeous members of the Elaphomycetaceae. The genus was first described from the Guiana Shield and was suggested to be restricted to rainforests dominated by the ectomycorrhizal tree Dicymbe corymbosa (Leguminosae-Detarioideae). Pseudotulostoma volvatum was also later described from Colombia in association with Pseudomonotes tropenbosii (Dipterocarpaceae- Monotoidea). Here we report a new occurrence of P. volvatum that is also the first occurrence of an ectomycorrhizal Ascomycota fungus in a native host plant in Brazil. The description includes images of the macroscopic and microscopic characteristics, a discussion of the distinctive features, and phylogenetic placement using the nLSU of this fungus among Elaphomyces species. This new collection (third known location) demonstrates that P. volvatum also occurs in a white-sand forest composed of the canopy tree Aldina heterophylla (Leguminosae-Papilionoideae). Thus, we provide additional information regarding P. volvatum that expands its known distribution.

Vatica cauliflora P.S. Ashton (Dipterocarpaceae) is a threatened tree species endemic to Kapuas Hulu District, West Kalimantan Province, Indonesia. The species is only known from the type specimen collected in 1953. After this first collection, there was no record confirming the presence of this tree in its natural habitat. Our recent surveys in 2019 and 2020 located 179 individuals of the species in six unprotected locations. The population's size structure is dominated (62.6%) by young individuals within the 0–5 cm diameter class. Our surveys also showed that the habitat of V. cauliflora is degraded as a result of the negative effects of agriculture and logging. Assessment with the IUCN Red List criteria indicates that V. cauliflora should be categorized as Critically Endangered.

Shorea parvifolia (Dipterocarpaceae) is a widely distributed tree species which is important in terms of ecosystem functioning as well as forestry in Southeast Asia. During glacial periods, substantial precipitation decline is believed to have occurred in Southeast Asia, which considerably changed the distribution of the species. Repeated glacial and inter-glacial fluctuations were found to have influenced the genetic structure of the species, which is important to know for conservation and sustainable use. Leaf samples were collected from 18 populations covering most of the natural distribution of this species including the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo Islands. We investigated these samples using sequence data for eight chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) regions and 14 nuclear EST-SSR loci. The nucleotide diversity of cpDNA is higher in Malay Peninsula populations but the genetic diversity of nuclear DNA is higher in Borneo populations. The genetic structure revealed by nuclear DNA clearly separated Borneo populations from the rest, with an FST value of 0.150, while the genetic structure obtained from cpDNA was less pronounced (FST value = 0.136). Tajima’s D and Fu and Li’s D* for cpDNA showed statistical significance only in populations from Borneo. These results suggested that there has been recent population expansion of S. parvifolia in Borneo.

Widjaya AH, Latifah D, Hardwick KA, Suhartanto MR, Palupi ER. 2021. Reproductive biology of Vatica venulosa Blume (Dipterocarpaceae). Biodiversitas 22: 4327-4337. Vatica venulosa Blume is categorized as Critically Endangered A1c ver 2.3, according to the IUCN Red List. A study of the reproductive biology of V. venulosa Blume was carried out in August 2019-February 2020 at the Research Center for Plant Conservation and Botanic Gardens, Bogor, Indonesia. The research observed flower morphology, flower development, type of pollination, fruit and seed structures. V. venulosa is categorized as having a sub-annual flowering pattern. The flowering phenology of V. venulosa from flower bud emergence until fruit senescence takes about 6 months. The flower is hermaphroditic, with position of the pistil is higher/longer than the stamen; and pollen was released prior to stigma being receptive (protandrous). V. venulosa is a cross-pollinated plant, the flower visitors are insect nymphs of Thrips sp. (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), which are white and 1-1.5 mm in size. The percentage of blooming flowers was 32.3-37.9%, fruit set 10.9 %-12.6%. Seed physiological maturity is reached at the age of 101±3-106±3 days after the flowers bloom when the wings are yellow green or green orange in color. V. venulosa seed is a non endospermous seed, and the cotyledons are composed mainly of small clumps of starch, being 42.5% carbohydrate.

A 2012 termite expedition yielded the first species of Glyptotermes known from Paraguay, G. hickmanisp. nov. and G. canellae (Müller, 1873), the latter previously known from Argentina and Brazil. Both are described based on the soldier and imago castes.

In humid forests in Southeast Asia, many species from dozens of plant families flower gregariously and fruit synchronously at irregular multi-year intervals1–4. Little is known about how climate change will impact these community-wide mass reproductive events. Here, we perform a comprehensive analysis of reproductive phenology and its environmental drivers based on a monthly reproductive phenology record from 210 species in 41 families in peninsular Malaysia. We find that the proportion of flowering and fruiting species decreased from 1976 to 2010. Using a phenology model with inputs obtained from general circulation models, we show that low-temperature flowering cues became less available during the monitoring period and will further decrease in the future, leading to decreased flowering opportunities in 57% of species in the Dipterocarpaceae family. Our results highlight the vulnerability of and variability in phenological responses across species in tropical ecosystems that differ from temperate and boreal biomes.

MeinataA, Na’iem M, Adriyanti DT, Syahbudin A. 2021. Short communication: Leaf architecture of 35 species of Dipterocarpaceae cultivated in Forest Area with Special Purposes in Carita, Banten, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 22: 2952-2960. Dipterocarpaceae is a major commercial timber characterized by high unbranched bole, paired stipules, and winged fruit. The identification process in the family becomes problematic, in cases where the generative organ is absent. Therefore, a new approach needs to be established to address any misidentification leading to improper utilization. This study aims to determine the leaf architecture in 35 species of Dipterocarpaceae cultivated in Forest Area with Special Purposes (KHDTK) Carita, Banten, Indonesia. The ten leaf samples collected were the third and fourth leaves from terminal shoots of a single tree of each species. Subsequently, the data were observed and measured based on the 17 morphological characters. Each character was then scored and analyzed using multivariate analyses cluster to determine the relationship between species. Dipterocarpaceae generally has pinnate leaf category, geniculate petiole, and entire margin. Furthermore, the phenon line in the dendrogram is cut at 0.695 similarity level to establish meaningful interpretation. The 35 species observed were grouped into 4 major clusters. Small leaf group, inconsistent tertiary vein pattern group, symmetrical leaves with cordate base leaf group, and other groups that do not resemble mentioned characters. The key determination comprised 34 couplets with three characters repeated due to limited descriptors.

Dipterocarpus (Dipterocarpaceae), an important component of tropical rainforests, has significant paleoclimate implications. Here some well-preserved leaves and winged fruit fossils of Dipterocarpus from the Miocene of Fotan in Fujian, southeast China, and their cuticle structures are described in detail. The fruit fossils are identified with the previously described as the fossil Dipterocarpus zhengae. Based on detailed gross morphology and cuticle micromorphology of leaves and cluster analysis, the leaf fossils can be attributed to the genus Dipterocarpus and described as Dipterocapus fotanensis sp. nov. The occurrence of the winged fruit and leaves of Dipterocarpus indicates a moist and warm climate during the Middle Miocene in Fujian. Two hypotheses about the origin of Dipterocarpaceae are reviewed on the basis of the comparison of the distribution of modern species and fossil records. One of the two suggests that Gondwana was the cradle of Dipterocarpaceae and is more reasonable than the other one that regards Southeast Asia as the origin of this family. All known Dipterocarpus fossils are collected and labeled on a map, which visually suggests that Dipterocarpus migrated eastwards to Fujian, China, during the Middle Miocene.

Cyclophosphamide (CYP) is a widely used antineoplastic and immunosuppressive drug, however, despite its efficacy, it has shown extensive multiple organ toxicities, including peripheral neuropathy which significantly affects the quality of life of cancer patients. This study elucidated the protective properties of Shorea roxburghii polyphenol extract (SLPE) in CYP-induced peripheral neuropathy. Rats were treated with SLPE (100 and 400 mg/kg) for five weeks plus CYP once a week from the second week to of SLPE treatment. Using UHPLC-QTOF-MS, 54 polyphenolic compounds were identified in SLPE extract. After the treatment period the antinociceptive, anti-hyperalgesia and antiallodynic effects was evaluated using formalin paw edema, acetic acid abdominal writhing, hot plate, tail immersion and von Frey filament tests. While the locomotive and motor coordination effects were evacuated by open field and rotarod tests. The administration of CYP led to significant increases in mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia, in addition to hyper-nociceptive responses in the formalin and acetic acid writhing tests. CYP also significantly reduced locomotive activity and motor coordination. SLPE significantly protected against CYP-induced mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia. Furthermore, SLPE displayed robust antinociceptive effect by counteracting formalin and acetic acid induced hyper-nociception. In addition, SLPE increased the locomotive activity as well as the grip and motor coordination of the CYP treated rats. In conclusion, these results revealed the protective effects of SLPE against CYP-induced peripheral neuropathy and could be an effective therapeutic remedy for chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy.

The paleobotanical record of Myanmar is poorly documented despite its importance for understanding the evolution of Asian monsoonal ecosystems through time. Here, we describe seventeen species of fossil wood from silicified specimens collected in the upper lower to lowermost middle Miocene Natma Formation, central Myanmar. These species share affinities with modern Fabaceae, Dipterocarpaceae, Burseraceae, Moraceae and Cupressaceae. Five new species are described, belonging to genera KoompassioxylonKramer (K. kalewensis n. sp.), Pahudioxylon Chowdhury, Ghosh & Kazmi (P. adenantheroides n. sp.), Dipterocarpoxylon (Holden) Den Berger (D. fugax n. sp.), ShoreoxylonDen Berger(S. glomeratum n. sp.), Artocarpoxylon Prakash& Lalitha (A. informe n. sp.). They include the first record of genus Dryobalanoxylon Den Berger in Myanmar, as well as a great variety of fossil dipterocarps (7 species) as found in today’s Southeast Asian rainforests. The nearest living relatives of this assemblage reflect different ecotones of seasonal forests with coastal, mixed to dry deciduous, and wet evergreen species. This reconstruction implies a wet, warm, and monsoonal climate in Myanmar during the late early Miocene. The presence of fossil dipterocarp species typical of wet evergreen forests contrasts with Burmese Eocene dry dipterocarp assemblages and indicates wetter conditions during the Miocene. Our reconstructions support a long-term change from seasonal to everwet ecosystems for dipterocarp trees.

Dipterocarpus tempehes is an endangered tropical timber tree species endemic to Borneo. In this study, the plastome of D. tempehes was assembled. The whole chloroplast genome was 145,323 bp in leng...