Agathis dammara, commonly known as the Amboina pine or dammar pine,[3] is a coniferous timber[4] tree native to Sulawesi, the Maluku Islands and the Philippines.[1]

Agathis dammara
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Gymnospermae
Division: Pinophyta
Class: Pinopsida
Order: Araucariales
Family: Araucariaceae
Genus: Agathis
Species:
A. dammara
Binomial name
Agathis dammara
Synonyms[2]
  • Agathis alba (Rumph. ex Hassk.) Foxw.
  • Agathis celebica (Koord.) Warb.
  • Agathis hamii Meijer Drees
  • Agathis loranthifolia Salisb.
  • Agathis orientalis (Lamb.) Mottet
  • Agathis philippinensis Warb.
  • Agathis pinus-dammara Poir.
  • Agathis regia Warb.
  • Dammara alba Rumph. ex Hassk.
  • Dammara celebica Koord.
  • Dammara loranthifolia Link
  • Dammara orientalis Lamb.
  • Dammara rumphii C.Presl
  • Abies dammara (Lamb.) Dum.Cours.
  • Pinus dammara Lamb.

Description edit

 
Women sorting dammar seeds in West Preanger, Java. 1936

Agathis dammara is a medium-large conifer up to 60 metres in height found in tropical rainforests, growing from sea level to very high mountainous regions where it becomes extremely stunted. It belongs to the southern hemisphere family Araucariaceae, widespread throughout the entire Mesozoic, emerging about 200 million years ago. An extinct genus, Protodammara (which appeared long ago, during the Mesozoic), derives its name from this tree. This tree is a source of dammar gum, also known as cat-eye resin.

Taxonomy edit

When first discovered and listed as a species it was placed in the genus Pinus (Lambert, 1803), and then later with the firs, Abies (Poir 1817), and then with its own genus, Dammara. It was first recognised as being part of Agathis in 1807, when it was listed as Agathis loranthifolia, and beyond that with species names beccarii, celebica and macrostachys, although it acquired many more names before dammara was settled on.[citation needed]

Agathis celebica and Agathis philippinensis were previously considered distinct species but since 2010 have been synonymous with Agathis dammara.[1]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Farjon, A. (2013). "Agathis dammara". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013: e.T202906A2757847. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Agathis dammara". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  3. ^ "Agathis dammara". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  4. ^ Agathis wood Archived April 1, 2010, at the Wayback Machine

External links edit