Names: Dipterocarpus, from Greek, di = two, pteron = wing and karpos = fruit.
Botany: high trees, to over 80 metres; fruits with 2 wings: di 2, ptero wing, carpa fruit; south east Asia.
Use: timber.
Botany: 17 genera, 500 species; tropical lowland rainforest trees, canopy and understorey tree; pantropical.
Use: timber; aromatic essential oils, balsam, resins; plywood.
TaxonomyRecent DNA studies indicate that the
Sarcolaenaceae family are a sibling clade to the family
Dipterocarpaceae. In the
Apg3 classification Dipterocarpaceae is a subgroup with
Cistaceae in
Malvales.
In the
Plant theory Dipterocarpaceae is placed in
Subphase 5 in the
Cistales.