Vatica obscura

       Vatica obscura is an endangered species in Dipterocarpaceae family which produces a gummy exudation used for caulking boats.

Vatica obscura
(Image courtesy:
Biodiversity Heritage Library)

Family: Dipterocarpaceae

Binomial name: Vatica obscura Trimen

Geographical Source:
        The tree is endemic to Sri Lanka.

Plant morphology:

        The plant height is up to 30 m tall. Its bark is smooth and grey. Stipules are very slender, acute and 5-6 mm long. Leaves are glabrous and lanceolate to lanceolate-oblong. Flowers are white and fragrant. Anthers are oblong and the ovary is densely pubescent. Mature fruit is ovoid- globose. The pericarp is leathery and 2 mm thick.

Chemical constituents:
     It contains flavonol quercetin, flavone apigenin, flavonol kaempferol, quercetin 3-glucoside, quercetin 3-rutinoside, apigenin 5-glucoside etc.

Uses:
      Vatica is mainly harvested for its wood and resin. However, it is also used for treating wounds. 

For further reading:

• Kuswata Kartawinata., Gregori G. Hambali and Mien A. Rifai. 1982. "Reinwardtia". Published by Herbarium bogoriense-LBN, Bogor. Vol.10, Part 1, pp.69-79.
•  Ashton, P. 1998. "Vatica obscura". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN
• Simmathiri Appanah, Jennifer M. Turnbull. A Review of Dipterocarps: Taxonomy, Ecology, and Silviculture. CIFOR. 1998.
• Kunjani Joshi. Chemotaxonomic study of Vatica species (Dipterocarpaceae) using flavonoid analysis. Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany. 2010;34(3):590-594.