The bark tree of Borneo, Artocarpus elasticus


 

THE SARAWAK MUSEUM JOURNAL
Vol. LXI No. 82 DECEMBER 2005
 
 
Title : 
The Bark Tree of Borneo, Artocarpus elasticus.
Author : 
Hanne Christensen
Abstract:
When visiting any of the indigenous communities in Sarawak, one cannot avoid observing their multiple and important uses of bark. Bark is widely used for straps, mats, and walls, and for lining things,as well as for tying or stringing objects together. Formerly, it was also important for making clothes. There are several species of trees that yield bark of good quality for many uses, but the most superior bark is obtained from the inner bark of Artocarpus elasticus Reinw. ex Bl. This forest tree has always been of great importance to the indigenous peoples of Borneo. Its usefulness is not only limited to its bark. Other parts of the tree have various traditional uses, too. This tree is also well-known and valued by people outside Borneo, and the tree is therefore known by many vernacular names. Table 1 lists a great variety of names that this species is known to be called, but as there are many more indigenous groups living in Borneo than presented in Table 1, the number of vernacular names for this species is probably much higher. Artocarpus elasticus is extensively used, not only because of the superior quality of the bark fibre, but also because the tree species is widely distributed. It is commonly found in evergreen forests of Burma, Thailand, the Philippines, Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo, Sumatra, and Java (Forest Department and Ministry of Primary Industries Malaysia, 1995; PROSEA, 1995; Primack, 1983). In Borneo, Artocarpus elasticus is common in both secondary forest and in mature mixed dipterocarp forest in the lowlands and in the submontane areas up to an altitude of 1500 m.
DOI:
XXXX
How to cite:
Hanne Christensen. (2007). The Bark Tree of Borneo, Artocarpus elasticus. The Sarawak Museum Journal, LXI (82): 1-18
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