Eight genera
Explore the middle of the taxonomy trail. Two species sit beneath each genus in this curated collection.
Header photo Yusran E. Ritonga, CC BY-NC
Vatica
Two species in this guide: Vatica rassak (Borneo to New Guinea) and Vatica mangachapoi (Malaysia and neighbouring Southeast Asia).
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Photo Hani Ristiawan, CC BY-NC Vatica rassak
Resak Irian
A wet-tropical tree with narrowly elliptic leaves. The reference photograph shows a leafy branch beside the trunk, a useful record of leaf shape to set alongside a view of the whole tree.
Borneo to New Guinea
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Photo island-lover, CC BY-NC Vatica mangachapoi
A member of the dipterocarp family recorded in Malaysia. Start with its scientific name, then compare the tree, leaves and reproductive structures with a regional flora.
Malaysia and neighbouring Southeast Asia
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Dipterocarpus
Two species in this guide: Dipterocarpus grandiflorus (Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo and Southeast Asia) and Dipterocarpus kerrii (Malaya, Borneo and neighbouring regions).
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Photo Randi Agusti, CC BY-NC Dipterocarpus grandiflorus
Apitong
A large forest tree in Dipterocarpaceae. Photographing the leaf surface and young growth adds useful detail to a general canopy photograph.
Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo and Southeast Asia
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Photo Christian Gilli, CC BY-NC Dipterocarpus kerrii
This accepted tree species belongs to Dipterocarpus. The reference photograph shows a winged fruit; record naturally fallen material without removing anything from a living tree.
Malaya, Borneo and neighbouring regions
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Actinodaphne
Two species in this guide: Actinodaphne malaccensis (Malaya, as listed by Kew) and Actinodaphne pruinosa (Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore and Borneo).
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Photo Samuel Lee, CC BY Actinodaphne malaccensis
A tree of the wet tropical biome in Lauraceae. Kew accepts this scientific name; use the full binomial when recording an observation to avoid ambiguity.
Malaya, as listed by Kew
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Photo Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, CC BY-NC Actinodaphne pruinosa
A laurel-family tree represented here by a preserved botanical specimen. Herbarium images can help compare leaf outlines, but dried colours differ from those of a living plant.
Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore and Borneo
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Beilschmiedia
Two species in this guide: Beilschmiedia madang (Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia) and Beilschmiedia kunstleri (Recorded in Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia).
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Photo pbsg, CC BY Beilschmiedia madang
Medang
A forest tree whose fleshy fruits become dark blue to black at maturity. The fruit stalk may turn red, making close photographs particularly useful for comparison.
Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia
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Photo borala, CC BY-NC Beilschmiedia kunstleri
A member of Lauraceae documented from Hutan Simpan Sungai Tekam in Pahang. Keep the specimen name together with its source when comparing this tree with other Beilschmiedia.
Recorded in Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia
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Canarium
Two species in this guide: Canarium odontophyllum (Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines) and Canarium littorale (Malaya, Borneo and neighbouring Southeast Asia).
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Photo filibot.web, CC BY-NC-SA Canarium odontophyllum
Dabai
A tall, buttressed tree that bears bluish-black fruits. This botanical specimen preserves its leaf structure; the source also describes the living tree and its fruit.
Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines
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Photo Akmal Idham, CC BY-NC Canarium littorale
A Burseraceae tree with a documented regional distribution. The photograph records its fruits; combine fruit images with leaves and a wider view before making an identification.
Malaya, Borneo and neighbouring Southeast Asia
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Dacryodes
Two species in this guide: Dacryodes rostrata (Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo and Southeast Asia) and Dacryodes laxa (Recorded in Johor, Kedah and Pahang).
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Photo filibot.web, CC BY-NC-SA Dacryodes rostrata
Kedondong kerut
An evergreen tree with pinnate leaves and fleshy fruits that darken as they ripen. Its reference specimen provides a closer look at leaf arrangement.
Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo and Southeast Asia
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Photo Yusran E. Ritonga, CC BY-NC Dacryodes laxa
Kedondong bulu laxa
A Malaysian native tree listed by MyBIS. Record the location of your own observation separately from the places reported by a botanical database.
Recorded in Johor, Kedah and Pahang
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Horsfieldia
Two species in this guide: Horsfieldia irya (Sri Lanka to the Caroline Islands, including Malaysia) and Horsfieldia superba (Recorded across Peninsular Malaysia).
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Photo Reuben C. J. Lim, CC BY-NC-SA Horsfieldia irya
A wet-tropical tree in the nutmeg family. Its broad native range includes Malaya and Borneo; a reference range does not confirm an individual sighting.
Sri Lanka to the Caroline Islands, including Malaysia
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Photo Reuben C. J. Lim, CC BY-NC-SA Horsfieldia superba
Penarahan
A Myristicaceae tree documented in several Malaysian states. The leaf photograph offers a close comparison point while its linked record provides the regional context.
Recorded across Peninsular Malaysia
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Myristica
Two species in this guide: Myristica fragrans (Native to Maluku; cultivated beyond its native range) and Myristica iners (Southern Indochina to western and central Malesia).
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Photo Ramesh NG, CC BY-SA Myristica fragrans
Nutmeg (pokok pala)
The nutmeg tree bears fruits containing a seed and a red, lacy aril. Cultivation guidance includes moderate water and well-drained soil in a tropical climate.
Native to Maluku; cultivated beyond its native range
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Photo Akmal Idham, CC BY-NC Myristica iners
An accepted wet-tropical tree species whose native range includes Malaya and Borneo. It belongs to the same genus as cultivated nutmeg, but is a distinct species.
Southern Indochina to western and central Malesia
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A genus connects the bigger picture.
A genus is the level at which most field identifications start to feel precise. Botanists who recognise a genus from its leaves or fruit can often narrow a plant down to a handful of candidate species.
Scientific names follow international rules, so the same name refers to the same plant in Malaysia, Indonesia or anywhere else. Local names are valuable too, but one local name can cover several different species.
Writing a scientific name correctly
- Start the genus with a capital letter: Canarium.
- Write the specific epithet in lower case: Canarium odontophyllum.
- Set the whole name in italics, or underline it when writing by hand.
- After the first mention, the genus may be shortened to its initial: C. odontophyllum.
Parts of a name
- Genus
- The group of closely related species; the first word of the name.
- Specific epithet
- The second word, which picks out one species within the genus.
- Binomial
- The two words together: the species’ scientific name.
Naming rules: International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants.
Genera at a glance
| Genus | Family | Species in this guide |
|---|---|---|
| Vatica | Dipterocarpaceae | Vatica rassak, Vatica mangachapoi |
| Dipterocarpus | Dipterocarpaceae | Dipterocarpus grandiflorus, Dipterocarpus kerrii |
| Actinodaphne | Lauraceae | Actinodaphne malaccensis, Actinodaphne pruinosa |
| Beilschmiedia | Lauraceae | Beilschmiedia madang, Beilschmiedia kunstleri |
| Canarium | Burseraceae | Canarium odontophyllum, Canarium littorale |
| Dacryodes | Burseraceae | Dacryodes rostrata, Dacryodes laxa |
| Horsfieldia | Myristicaceae | Horsfieldia irya, Horsfieldia superba |
| Myristica | Myristicaceae | Myristica fragrans, Myristica iners |