42 ON THE VEGETATION OF MALAYSIA, 



is derived from a coniferous tree, which takes a leading part in the 

 formation of forests on the mountain. In ascending to the summits 

 of any of the high hills, one is sure to notice, round the stems of 

 certain stately-looking trees, deposits of yellowish white resin. 

 This comes from a tree which is a near relation to the Pines and 

 Arauearias, but diflfering in appearance from any of them except 

 in this that wherever the bark is wounded quantities of the resin 

 exude. " The Dammaras are distinguished from the true Pines and 

 Firs by their broad, opjiosite or alternate, oblong-lanceolate, 

 attenuated leathery leaves, with parallel veins, and in the male 

 and female flowers being solitary and on separate plants : they 

 however approach nearest to the genus Araucaria in being dioecious, 

 but from which they differ in the form of the scales, in the absence 

 of a bractea to each female flower, and in the seeds being winged 

 only on one side, and free or unattached." (" Pinetum, A Synopsis 

 of all the coniferous Plants." By Geo. Gordon, 3rd ed. p. 108). 

 There is only one species, which is a tree growing upwards of 100 

 feet high, with a straight, smooth bark and trunk, from eight to 

 ten feet in diameter, found on the summit of the mountains of 

 Amboyna and Ternate, and in many of the Molucca Islands, Java, 

 and Borneo. Timber of little value, but producing a fine trans- 

 parent resin, and esteemed by the natives for incense. There is a 

 variety having longer and more lanceolate leaves with the edges 

 rolled on the under side, slightly undulated, whitish, and tapering 

 to the point, and with the bark on the branches of a whiter 

 colour. 



Europeans distinguish the resin of Vateria indica as Pmey 

 dammar, that derived from Shorea and Hopea as Dammar simply, 

 like the conifer, while the resin of Dipterocar2)us is distinguished 

 by the Indian name Gurjun, and that of Dryohalmiops as Cam- 

 phor. No distinction is made in the uses to which these resins 

 are put except the camphor. They are largely employed for 

 caulking boats, and with the oil are combined for making various 

 varnishes. 



