Biology · Ch 14 — Bioresources of Assam
Timber-Yielding Plants
14.2
Timber-Yielding Plants
Timber-yielding plants are trees valued for their wood, used in furniture, construction,
plywood and matchwood. The syllabus prescribes five.
| Plant | Scientific name (family) | Timber use |
|---|---|---|
| Teak | Tectona grandis (Lamiaceae) | Very durable, termite- and water-resistant; premier furniture and shipbuilding wood (grown in Assam as a plantation tree) |
| Sal | Shorea robusta (Dipterocarpaceae) | Hard, heavy, strong structural timber — beams, posts, railway sleepers; native to the North-East foothills |
| Sissoo (Shisham) | Dalbergia sissoo (Fabaceae) | Strong, decorative rosewood for furniture, veneer and carving; common as a shade tree |
| Gomari (Gamhar) | Gmelina arborea (Lamiaceae) | Light, stable, easily-worked wood for plywood, matchwood, carving and pulp; common throughout Assam |
| Hollong | Dipterocarpus retusus (syn. D. macrocarpus) (Dipterocarpaceae) | A giant rainforest tree (up to ~60 m) of Upper Assam; prized for plywood and construction |