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Dipterocarpus turbinatus Gaert.

image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew | All Rights Reserved

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Date

1795-1804

Artist

Unknown Artist (Company School)

Collection

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew : The Roxburgh Collection

Acknowledgements

Digitised by TWW

Description

Watercolour illustration commissioned by William Roxburgh. ROX1565.
This species is a native of Chittagong, Tipperah, Pegue etc. to the eastward of Bengal. This tree is famous in the eastern parts of India and in Malaysia for it produces a liquid balsam, called wood oil, used for painting ships, houses etc.. Roxburgh describes how this balsam is procured. A cut is made into the trunk, at about thirty inches from the ground, a fire is then kept on the ground, near the wound, until this is charred; the liquid will start oozing out soon after. According to Roxburgh the average produce of some of the best trees is sometimes around forty gallons. Roxburgh also says that it is essential to cut off the old charred surfaces, every three or four weeks and burn it afresh, and that sometimes it is necessary to give the trees a rest period of one or more years.
Roxburgh, 'Flora Indica' (1832) v.2, p.612.

Image Licence

All Rights Reserved

Image Credit

image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew

Location

South Asia

Medium

Tags

Flora
Flowers
Plants

Category

Glossary
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© 2024 Watercolour World | Technology by The Museum Platform

© 2024 Watercolour World | Technology by The Museum Platform