铁凌 tie ling

Hopea exalata W. T. Lin et al.; H. reticulata Tardieu subsp. exalata (W. T. Lin et al.) Y. K. Yang & J. K. Wu.

Trees ca. 15 m tall, with dark brown smooth bark, later becoming flaky, with aromatic white resin. Branchlets initially densely grayish yellow tomentose, soon sparsely so. Petiole 6-8 mm, gray tomentose; leaf blade ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 5-12 × 3-6 cm, leathery, basal veins 5 or 6, lateral veins 3-5 pairs slightly raised abaxially, base oblique or cordate, sometimes rounded, margin entire, apex acuminate. Panicles axillary or terminal, few flowered, 6-11 cm, slender, sparsely pubescent or subglabrous. Calyx segments imbricate, suborbicular, glabrous. Petals reddish, obovate-elliptic, ca. 5 mm, outside tomentose, ciliate at margin. Stamens (10-)15; anthers ellipsoid; connective appendages filiform. Ovary and stylopodium pyriform, with median constriction, glabrous; style short. Fruit ovoid; pericarp thin, glabrous; calyx lobes subequal, short, to 8 × 7 mm. Fl. Mar-Apr, fr. May-Jun.

Forests on mountain slopes, hills; ca. 400 m. Hainan (mountain range between Yaxian and Baoting) [Vietnam].

This is a rare species vulnerable to extirpation. The wood is durable and is used for building houses and bridges and making furniture.

Hopea exalata was earlier separated from H. reticulata by having 15 as opposed to 10 stamens, but we find that both numbers are found in each entity and accordingly treat them as conspecific.