Pentaspadon motleyi Hook.f., Trans. Linn. Soc. 23 (1860)

Named after J. Motley [?-1859], an English plant collector who worked in Borneo.

Synonyms
Nothoprotium sumatranum Miq.
Pentaspadon officinalis Holmes ex King
Pentaspadon minutiflora B.L. Burtt
Pentaspadon moszlowskii Laut.
Rhus novoguineensis Laut.

Description
Emergent trees up to 51 m tall and 70 cm dbh. Stipules absent. Leaves alternate, compound, penni-veined, usually with domatia. Flowers ca. 4 mm in diameter, cream, placed in panicles. Fruits ca. 40 mm long, fleshy drupe.

Ecology
In undisturbed forests up to 200 m altitude. Mostly in swamps, periodically inundated areas and along rivers on sandy to clayey soils. In secondary forests usually present as a pre-disturbance remnant.

Uses
The timber is non-durable and only used for cheap flooring. The sap is used as an oil against skin diseases. The fruits are edible (fresh or roasted).

Distribution
Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo (Sarawak, Brunei, Sabah, West-, South- and East-Kalimantan), Moluccas, New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

Local names
Borneo: Djuping, Empit, Empelanjau, Kedondong, Letjut, Panjau, Pelajau, Peladjau, Pelasit, Pilajau, Plajau, Planjau, Polajo, Praju, Tampison, Umpit, Vpie.