WOODS OF THE PHILIPPINE DIPTEROCARPS * 



By Luis J. Reyes 

 Forester and Wood Technologist, Bureau of Forestry, Manila 



THIRTY-ONE PLATES 

 INTRODUCTION 



Previous to American occupation of the Philippines, in 1898, 

 dipterocarps and dipterocarp forests were little known in the 

 Islands. Under the Spanish regime timber exploitation had 

 been largely confined to certain of the more-durable species 

 of other families, such as narra (Pterocarpus spp.), tindalo 

 [Pahudia rhomboidea (Blanco) Prain], molave (Vitex parvi- 

 flora Jussieu), and others of the scarce but valuable woods, a 

 fact which was the logical outcome of conditions then prevail- 

 ing. In those days durable hardwoods were comparatively 

 abundant and easy of access in open places near the towns. 

 Modern sawmills were unknown, and logs were of necessity 

 converted into lumber with the expenditure of excessive 

 man and animal power, employed under primitive conditions. 

 Finally, only the more durable of the native woods seemed 

 worthy of exploitation, since consumption was confined to the 

 Islands where deterioration, particularly that resulting from 

 insects and fungi, is very rapid. As a result the heavier and 

 most durable of the dipterocarps, such as yakal (Hopea spp., 

 Shorea spp., and Isoptera sp.), giho 1 [Shorea guiso (Blanco) 

 Blume] , and manggachapui (Hopea acuminata Merrill and other 

 species) found their way into the local markets, while such of 

 the lighter lauaans - as were lumbered were used mainly for 

 canoes and dugouts or, occasionally, as floats for the heavier 

 woods. 



* Contribution from the New York State College of Forestry, Syracuse 

 University, Syracuse, New York. 



1 This word is often written "guijo." The phonetic method of spelling 

 is used throughout this work and an effort made to write the names as they 

 are pronounced by the natives. . 



2 The term "lauaan" was corrupted into "lauan" by the Spaniards, and 

 subsequently adopted by the Bureau of Forestry under the American ad- 

 ministration. Its meaning is not well understood, although the word seems 

 to be closely related to "laua" or "laua-laua," meaning soot. When used 

 alone, lauaan signifies any soft, light dipterocarp of the genus Shorea, 

 Parashorea, or Pentacme. 



