Author: Kostermans
Morphological description celebica Kalappia compl FM36
Tall tree up to 40 m high and 90 cm in diameter; buttresses up to 3 m high, 2 m extending outward over the ground, 20 cm thick.
Leaves: petiole and rachis 6.5-12.5 cm, puberulous; petiolules 5-7 mm, puberulous. Leaflets chartaceous, elliptic or obovate, (6-)11-14(-17) by (2.5-)4-6(-8.5) cm; apex shortly acuminate; base cuneate, rarely obtuse; loosely shortly hairy below, glabrous above; lateral nerves 5-8 on each side, veins closely reticulate.
Inflorescences sometimes branched near the base and appearing fasciculate (2 or 3 in an axil), 5-10(-15) cm long, shortly appressed-hairy, glabrescent; bracts and bracteoles ovate, 2-2.5 mm long; pedicels 2-6 mm.
Flowers (orange-)yellow (celebica Kalappia fl parts FM36 ). Calyx lobes 5, elliptic or oblong, 4-6 by 2-3 mm, densely hairy outside, less so inside. Petals 5, obovate or oblanceolate, 7-11 by 2-6 mm, gradually narrowed from upper 1/3 towards the claw-like base, rather thin, with 1 distinct mid-vein and 5 or more lateral, straight veins, obliquely ascending upward, more or less fan-shaped, and branched near the margin. Stamens : fertile anthers 1.75-2 mm long; filaments 4.5-7 mm; staminodes up to 3(-5) mm. Pistil 5.3-7.5 mm long; ovary about the same length as the style or slightly longer.
Pods c. 7 by 2 cm, smooth.
Seeds shortly reniform, 10-11 by 13-15 mm, smooth.
Distribution
Malesia: Celebes, only found in the region around Malili (N Gulf of Bone).
Habitat & Ecology
In lowland forest, scattered, growing from an area behind the seacoast to rather high up in the hills to 300 m altitude. Soil usually rocky and containing iron. Flowering in April, May, and December; fruiting in March, May, December.
Uses
It is locally a valuable timber tree, known as 'kalapi' and in high esteem for ship-building and construction of bridges. It is also sawn into boards and stiles; a variety with a beautiful grain pattern is much sought after for cabinet work (fide Kostermans, 1952: 452).