Eden

Penang Botanic Gardens Plant Collection

Falcataria mollucana (Miq.) Barneby & J.W.Grimes (FABACEAE)

Posted at — Nov 13, 2019
Batai, Moluccan Albizia, Albizia, Sengon, Salawaku, Sau, Falcata

Description

Fast-growing evergreen tree to 40 m tall with spreading crown. Leaves bipinnate with 8-12 pairs of pinnae, 8-18 pairs of opposite leaflets. Flowers white to cream, in branched clusters, solitary or in loose groups. Fruits 8-13 cm long, pale brown, oblong, straight, flat.

Ecology

A pioneer species in lowland rain forest and secondary vegetation. It is naturalised in many tropical countries.

Distribution

Moluccas, New Guinea, Bismarck Archipelago and Solomon Is.

Uses

Grown for its soft timber and for paper pulp.