Palaquium gutta

Palaquium gutta
	Botanical drawing, 1897
Conservation status
	; Near Threatened (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Embryophytes
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Ericales
Family:	Sapotaceae
Genus:	Palaquium
Species:	P. gutta
Binomial name
	Palaquium gutta; (Hook.) Baill.
Synonyms
	List Croixia gutta (Hook.) Baehni ; Dichopsis borneensis (Burck) Fox ; Dichopsis gutta (Hook.) Benth. ; Dichopsis oblongifolia Burck ; Dichopsis treubii (Burck) Fox ; Isonandra acuminata Miq. ; Isonandra gutta Hook. ; Isonandra percha Hook. ; Palaquium acuminatum Burck ; Palaquium borneense Pierre ; Palaquium borneense Burck ; Palaquium croixianum Pierre ex Dubard ; Palaquium formosum Pierre ; Palaquium fulvosericeum Engl. ; Palaquium gloegoerense Burck ; Palaquium malaccense Pierre ; Palaquium oblongifolium (Burck) Burck ; Palaquium obscurum Burck ; Palaquium optimum Becc. ; Palaquium princeps Pierre ; Palaquium selendit Burck ; Palaquium treubii Burck ; Palaquium vrieseanum Burck ;

Palaquium gutta is a tree in the family Sapotaceae. It is native to Southeast Asia.

Description

Palaquium gutta grows up to 40 m (130 ft) tall. The bark is reddish brown. Inflorescences bear up to 12 flowers. The fruits are round or ellipsoid, sometimes brownish tomentose, up to 2.5 cm (1 in) long.^[3]

Taxonomy

Palaquium gutta was first described as Isonandra gutta by English botanist William Jackson Hooker in his London Journal of Botany in 1847.^[4] In 1884, the French botanist Henri Ernest Baillon transferred the species to the genus Palaquium.^[2] The lectotype was collected in Singapore. The specific epithet gutta is from the Malay word getah meaning 'sap or latex'.^[3]

Distribution and habitat

Palaquium gutta is native to Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo and Singapore.^[1] Its habitat is lowland mixed dipterocarp, kerangas and limestone forests.^[3]

Uses

The seeds of Palaquium gutta are used to make soap and candles, occasionally in cooking. The latex is used to make gutta-percha.^[5] The timber is logged and traded as nyatoh.^[1]

Conservation

Palaquium gutta has been assessed as near threatened on the IUCN Red List. The significant threat to the species is deforestation: in Borneo for conversion of land to palm oil cultivation.^[1]

References

1 2 3 4 Olander, S.B.; Wilkie, P. (2018). "Palaquium gutta". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018 e.T61965223A61965225. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T61965223A61965225.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
1 2 3 "Palaquium gutta (Hook.) Baill". Plants of the World Online. The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
1 2 3 Mohtar, A.P. Abang Mohd. (April 2002). "Palaquium gutta (Hook.f.) Baill.". In Soepadmo, E.; Saw, L. G.; Chung, R. C. K. (eds.). Tree Flora of Sabah and Sarawak. (free online from the publisher, lesser resolution scan PDF versions). Vol. 4. Forest Research Institute Malaysia. pp. 287–288. ISBN 983-2181-27-5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
↑ "Isonandra gutta Hook". International Plant Names Index (IPNI). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Harvard University Herbaria & Libraries; Australian National Botanic Gardens. Retrieved 7 August 2026.
↑ Schwarcz, Joe (14 May 2025). "Gutta Percha – From Golf Balls to Root Canals". You Asked. Office for Science and Society, McGill University. Retrieved 5 August 2026.

[iucn_status_19_November_2021-1] 1 2 3 4 Olander, S.B.; Wilkie, P. (2018). "Palaquium gutta". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018 e.T61965223A61965225. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T61965223A61965225.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.

[POWO-2] 1 2 3 "Palaquium gutta (Hook.) Baill". Plants of the World Online. The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 11 July 2020.

[TFSS-3] 1 2 3 Mohtar, A.P. Abang Mohd. (April 2002). "Palaquium gutta (Hook.f.) Baill.". In Soepadmo, E.; Saw, L. G.; Chung, R. C. K. (eds.). Tree Flora of Sabah and Sarawak. (free online from the publisher, lesser resolution scan PDF versions). Vol. 4. Forest Research Institute Malaysia. pp. 287–288. ISBN 983-2181-27-5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 6 December 2013.

[IPNI-4] "Isonandra gutta Hook". International Plant Names Index (IPNI). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Harvard University Herbaria & Libraries; Australian National Botanic Gardens. Retrieved 7 August 2026.

[5] Schwarcz, Joe (14 May 2025). "Gutta Percha – From Golf Balls to Root Canals". You Asked. Office for Science and Society, McGill University. Retrieved 5 August 2026.

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