TEAK. 1 
MAI SAK (Teak tree, Zectona grandis.) The teak 
tree isa tree of the order Verbenaceae. It is. a beautiful 
tree and cannot be mistaken from any of a thousand 
others in the forests of Siam. The teak tree can attain a 
height of 40-60 m.-anda circumference of more than 4 
m. when the conditions for its growth are favourable. 
The numerous white flowers are in great terminal 
and cross-armed panicles and have 5 -6 cleft corolla, The 
germ is round, hairy, four celled with one ovulum in each 
cell attached to the axis. The corky drupes are about the 
size of a hazelnut. The flowers may be used medicin- 
ally to cure retention of urine. 
The leaves are opposite-petioled 25-30 cm long 
and covered with rough points. They are used to dye 
vellow or purple silk and cotton, fer plates, ypacking, 
rough umbrellas and as a thatch for temporary huts. 
The bark is thin, ash-coloured and scaly, with 
numerous spreading branches. The wood is moderately 
hard, of a light brown colour and sometimes tinged with 
yellow, which makes it resemble coarse mahogany. The 
annual rings are marked by one or more lines of regularly 
