Lauan Tree (Red)

This large, Philippine tree has thick dark brown to nearly black bark with a reddish tinge. The trunk is ridged with shallow furrows and bears no branches for the first 20 to 30 metres. The tough, leathery leaves measure up to 17 centimetres long and 7.5 centimetres wide and taper toward the tip. The cream-coloured flowers are borne in clusters of four and are said to have a ‘sick-like’ odour. The turban-shaped fruits of the red lauan are around 1.9 centimetres wide, covered with silky yellow hairs and each bears five long wings.

The red lauan flowers between April and May, during which time the blooms are visited by insects for pollen. Following pollination, fruits develop and appear between March and June.

The red lauan is found only in the Philippines, where it occurs on the islands of Luzon, Pollilo, Biliran, Negros, Samar, Leyte, Mindanao and Basilan.

This tree occurs in lowland evergreen and seasonal dipterocarp forests, between 0 and 1,000 metres above sea level.