Examples of the distinctive trees with high stilt roots include Blumeodendron kurzii
(Mig.), Beumee ex Airy Shaw, Calophyllum teysmannii Mig. var. inophylloide
(King) Steven, Eugenia caudata King, Eugenia oblate Roxb., Eugenia tumida
Duth., Melanochyla bracteata King, and Xylopia fusca Maing.
Trees with buttresses include Parishia insignis Hook. f., Alstonia pneumatophora
Backer, Dacryodes incurvata (Engl.) Lamk., and Xylopia malayana Hook. f.
Pneumatophores are the characteristic of certain species: peg-like ones are of
Stemonurus Bl.; stilt-like roots, pneumatophores of Stemonurus secundiflorus Bl.;
stilt-like roots, pneumatophores of Elaeocarpus macrocerus (Turez) Merr.; bridgelike roots of Neesia altissima Bl.; and looped roots of Xylopia fusca Maing and kneelike roots of Ganua motleyana Pierre.
To illustrate the floristic composition of peat swamp forest, the following is its
general description according to the study conducted by Phengklai and Niyomtham
(1991) in Thailand.
The climax vegetation of peat swamp forest consists of mixed evergreen trees and
shrubs, and is combined with climbers and herbaceous plants in a tree storied
formation. The uppermost storey consists of about 70 species of economically
valuable trees such as Alstonia pneumatophora Backer, Amoora rubiginosa Hiern,
Calophyllum teysmannii Mig. var. inophylloide (King) Stevens, Campnosperma
coriaceum (Jack) Hall.f.; Cratoxylum arborescens Bl.; Dialium patens Bak.,
Dacryodes incurvata (Engl.) Lam., Endiandra macrophylla (Bl.) Boerl., and
Eugenia muelleri Mig.
The tallest trees whose height reaches 35–40 m include Alstonia pneumatophora
Backer, Calophyllum teysmannii Mig. var. inophylloide (King) Stevens, Koompassia
malaccensis Benth., Myristica iners Bl., Parishia insignis Hook.f., Xylopia fusca
Maing, and Xylopia malayana Hook.f.
The understorey consists of Archidendron clypearia (Benth.) Niels., Baccaurea
bracteata Muell-Arg., Blumeodendron kurzii (Mig.) Beumee, Cinnamomum
rhynchophyllum Mig., Eugenia caudate King., Eugenia chlorantha Duth., Myristica
maingayi Hook.f., etc., and palm species, Oncosperma tigillarium Rild. scattered in
certain areas and an abundance of Cyrtostachys renda Bl.
The shrub layer consists mainly of palm species such as Licuala longecalycata
Furt and the stemless palm Eleiodoxa conferta Burr. and an abundance of Caryota
mitis Lour, Nenga pumila (Bl.) H. Wendl., Pinanga riparia Ridl. is scattered in the
areas together with Pandanus immerses Ridl. and Pandanus militaris Warb.
Climbers are very sparse, except in certain places where clustering thorny rattans
grow. They include Calamus caesius Bl., Daemonorops angustifolia Mart, and
Korthalsia laciniosa Mart.
Epiphytes are frequently found on trees such as Aeschynanthus parvifolia F.Br.,
Dischidia acutifolia Maing., Dischidia minor Merr., Hoya micrantha Hook., f. Hora
parasitical Wall., and Ficus microcarpa Linn.f.
Two kinds of parasitic plants are found in this type of forest. Terrestrial parasitic
plants on roots include Henslowia buxifolia Bl., Champereia manillana (Bl.) Merr.,
and Olax scandens Roxb. Meanwhile the canopy-level parasites include Amyema
27 Sustainable Management of Peatland in Thailand
729
(Mig.), Beumee ex Airy Shaw, Calophyllum teysmannii Mig. var. inophylloide
(King) Steven, Eugenia caudata King, Eugenia oblate Roxb., Eugenia tumida
Duth., Melanochyla bracteata King, and Xylopia fusca Maing.
Trees with buttresses include Parishia insignis Hook. f., Alstonia pneumatophora
Backer, Dacryodes incurvata (Engl.) Lamk., and Xylopia malayana Hook. f.
Pneumatophores are the characteristic of certain species: peg-like ones are of
Stemonurus Bl.; stilt-like roots, pneumatophores of Stemonurus secundiflorus Bl.;
stilt-like roots, pneumatophores of Elaeocarpus macrocerus (Turez) Merr.; bridgelike roots of Neesia altissima Bl.; and looped roots of Xylopia fusca Maing and kneelike roots of Ganua motleyana Pierre.
To illustrate the floristic composition of peat swamp forest, the following is its
general description according to the study conducted by Phengklai and Niyomtham
(1991) in Thailand.
The climax vegetation of peat swamp forest consists of mixed evergreen trees and
shrubs, and is combined with climbers and herbaceous plants in a tree storied
formation. The uppermost storey consists of about 70 species of economically
valuable trees such as Alstonia pneumatophora Backer, Amoora rubiginosa Hiern,
Calophyllum teysmannii Mig. var. inophylloide (King) Stevens, Campnosperma
coriaceum (Jack) Hall.f.; Cratoxylum arborescens Bl.; Dialium patens Bak.,
Dacryodes incurvata (Engl.) Lam., Endiandra macrophylla (Bl.) Boerl., and
Eugenia muelleri Mig.
The tallest trees whose height reaches 35–40 m include Alstonia pneumatophora
Backer, Calophyllum teysmannii Mig. var. inophylloide (King) Stevens, Koompassia
malaccensis Benth., Myristica iners Bl., Parishia insignis Hook.f., Xylopia fusca
Maing, and Xylopia malayana Hook.f.
The understorey consists of Archidendron clypearia (Benth.) Niels., Baccaurea
bracteata Muell-Arg., Blumeodendron kurzii (Mig.) Beumee, Cinnamomum
rhynchophyllum Mig., Eugenia caudate King., Eugenia chlorantha Duth., Myristica
maingayi Hook.f., etc., and palm species, Oncosperma tigillarium Rild. scattered in
certain areas and an abundance of Cyrtostachys renda Bl.
The shrub layer consists mainly of palm species such as Licuala longecalycata
Furt and the stemless palm Eleiodoxa conferta Burr. and an abundance of Caryota
mitis Lour, Nenga pumila (Bl.) H. Wendl., Pinanga riparia Ridl. is scattered in the
areas together with Pandanus immerses Ridl. and Pandanus militaris Warb.
Climbers are very sparse, except in certain places where clustering thorny rattans
grow. They include Calamus caesius Bl., Daemonorops angustifolia Mart, and
Korthalsia laciniosa Mart.
Epiphytes are frequently found on trees such as Aeschynanthus parvifolia F.Br.,
Dischidia acutifolia Maing., Dischidia minor Merr., Hoya micrantha Hook., f. Hora
parasitical Wall., and Ficus microcarpa Linn.f.
Two kinds of parasitic plants are found in this type of forest. Terrestrial parasitic
plants on roots include Henslowia buxifolia Bl., Champereia manillana (Bl.) Merr.,
and Olax scandens Roxb. Meanwhile the canopy-level parasites include Amyema
27 Sustainable Management of Peatland in Thailand
729