Intsia palembanica

Intsia palembanica
Molucca teak watercolor, from the William Farquhar Collection of Natural History Drawings
Conservation status
Near Threatened  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Genus:	Intsia
Species:	I. palembanica
Binomial name
Intsia palembanica Miq. [2] [3]

Intsia palembanica is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae. The common Latin species name palembanica named after the main Palembang seaport on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Common names include Borneo teak, ^[4] Molucca teak and Moluccan ironwood. ^[5] It is native to the tropical forest area of Indonesia from Sumatra in Western Indonesia to Papua in Eastern Indonesia, and some extended to Bangladesh and Andaman Islands due to human introduction. ^[1] Intsia palembanica differs from Intsia bijuga in the number of leaflets that make up the compound leaves. ^[6]

Names

On the Indonesian island of Sumatra specifically, it is better-known as marbau, etymologically derived from Minangkabau, a native Sumatran language commonly spoken in western and southeastern Sumatra regions. It is anglicized as marbow in British English. ^[7]

Conservation

Intsia palembanica has been assessed as near threatened on the IUCN Red List. It is mainly threatened by logging for its timber, particularly in Indonesia, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea. The timber is sold locally and internationally. ^[1]

Symbolism

On 23 August 2019, the tree, locally known as pokok merbau, officially became the national tree of Malaysia. The then-Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, stated that it represented the strength and endurance of Malaysia's people. ^{[5] [8]}

References

1. Barstow, M. (2021). "Intsia palembanica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2021: e.T62026259A62026261. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
2. "Intsia palembanica Miq". Plants of the World Online. Kew Science. Retrieved 2019-08-23.
3. USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. "Intsia palembanica Miq". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN-Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
4. "Intsia palembanica - Miq. [Common Name: Borneo Teak, Merbau]". Plants for a Future. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
5. "Merbau penuhi ciri Simbolik Malaysia" [Merbau meets the characteristics of Malaysia symbolic] (in Malay). Radio Televisyen Malaysia. 23 August 2019. Archived from the original on 24 August 2019. Retrieved 24 August 2019. The Merbau Tree or its scientific name Intsia Palembanica is also known as Malacca Teak, Borneo Teak and Moluccan Ironwood for loggers.
6. Tropical Legumes: Resources for the Future : Report of an Ad Hoc Panel of the Advisory Committee on Technology Innovation, Board on Science and Technology for International Development, Commission on International Relations, National Research Council. National Academies. 1979. p.  216. NAP:14318. Intsia bijuga and Intsia palembanica differ mainly in the number of leaflets that make up their compound leaves. Both are native to tropical rainforests in Southeast Asia and the islands of the southwest Pacific.
7. “Marbow” on Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford University Press, 2004
8. Annuar, Azil. "Malaysia now has a national tree: Merbau". Malay Mail. Retrieved 10 February 2022.