Melanochyla auriculata

Melanochyla auriculata, the swamp rengas, is a flowering plant in the family Anacardiaceae. It is native to Southeast Asia.

Description

Melanochyla auriculata grows as a tree up to tall, with a trunk diameter of up to. It has buttresses up to high. The smooth bark is green to grey. The leaves are obovate and measure up to long and to wide. The, in, feature white flowers. The fruits are rusty and measure up to wide.

Taxonomy

Melanochyla auriculata was first described by British botanist Joseph Dalton Hooker in 1876 in The flora of British India. The type specimen was collected in Malacca. The specific epithet auriculata means 'ear-like', referring to the leaf base.

Distribution and habitat

Melanochyla auriculata is native to Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. Its habitat is in lowland swamp forest and mixed dipterocarp forests.

Conservation

Melanochyla auriculata has been assessed as near threatened on the IUCN Red List. The species' habitat is threatened by deforestation and conversion of land for agriculture, especially in its Borneo range. It is not present in any protected areas.