Tectona grandis

(Teak)

Description

From south-east Asia there are a couple of trees growing near DA3 and elsewhere. It is a tall tree with soft bark and large leaves. These leaves are simple, broadly ovate with a short petiole and on a mature tree may be up to 45 cm long and 25 cm wide, upper surface is rough to touch and there are hairs on the lower surface. In late summer and autumn, large panicles of white flowers appear on the outside of the tree above the leaves. The fruit is enclosed by the expanded bladder-like calyx which, is light brown, ribbed and papery, and usually appears somewhat squashed. Flowering February and March. Teak is an important timber tree.