Helicia excelsa

{{Speciesbox

| image =

| image_caption =

| status = LC

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref =

| genus = Helicia

| species = excelsa

| authority = (Roxb.) Blume

| synonyms =

{{Species list

| Roupala excelsa | Roxb.

| Alseodaphne crassipes | Hook.f.

| Helicia oblanceolata | Merr.

| Helicia salicifolia | C.Presl

}}

| synonyms_ref =

}}

Helicia excelsa is a plant in the family Proteaceae. It is native to tropical Asia.

Description

Helicia excelsa grows as a tree up to {{cvt|20|m|-1}} tall, with a trunk diameter of up to {{cvt|25|cm|0}}. The bark is dark grey to blackish. Inflorescences bear up to three reddish brown flowers. The fruit drys black and is ellipsoid, up to {{cvt|3|cm|1}} long. The timber is locally used in construction.

Taxonomy

Helicia excelsa was first described as Roupala excelsa by the Scottish botanist William Roxburgh in 1820. In 1834, Carl Ludwig Blume transferred the species to the genus Helicia. The type specimen was collected in Chittagong (present-day Bangladesh). The specific epithet excelsa means 'lofty', referring to the tree's growth.

Distribution and habitat

Helicia excelsa is native to Northeast India, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Bangladesh, mainland Southeast Asia, Borneo and Sumatra. Its habitat is in swamp, dipterocarp and montane forests from sea level to {{cvt|1700|m|-2}} altitude.

Conservation

Helicia excelsa has been assessed as least concern on the IUCN Red List. The species is broadly distributed and is not considered threatened, except in the Andaman Islands where the species is rare.

References

{{Reflist | refs=

{{cite iucn |author=Martínez Richart, A.I. |year=2020 |title=Helicia excelsa |page=e.T113131133A113310015 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-1.RLTS.T113131133A113310015.en |access-date=22 April 2025}}

{{cite POWO |title=Helicia excelsa (Roxb.) Blume |id=704406-1 |access-date=19 April 2025}}

{{Cite book | last1 = Chung | first1 = Richard C. K. | date = April 2002 | contribution = Helicia excelsa (Roxb.) Blume | editor1-last = Soepadmo | editor1-first = E. | editor2-last = Saw | editor2-first = L. G. | editor3-last = Chung | editor3-first = R. C. K. | title = Tree Flora of Sabah and Sarawak | volume = 4 | pages = 174–175 | publisher = Forest Research Institute Malaysia | isbn = 983-2181-27-5 | url = http://www.chm.frim.gov.my/Resources/Publications/Books/Floras/Tree-Flora-of-Sabah-and-Sarawak.aspx | access-date = 21 September 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130927074942/http://www.chm.frim.gov.my/Resources/Publications/Books/Floras/Tree-Flora-of-Sabah-and-Sarawak.aspx | archive-date = 27 September 2013}}

{{cite book |last1=Roxburgh |first1=William |author-link1=William Roxburgh |last2=Wallich |first2=Nathaniel |author-link2=Nathaniel Wallich |title=Flora indica, or, Descriptions of Indian plants |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/787639#page/370 |year=1820 |volume=1 |pages=365–366 |access-date=19 April 2025}}

}}

excelsa

Category:Flora of Assam (region)

Category:Trees of Bangladesh

Category:Trees of Indo-China

Category:Trees of Peninsular Malaysia

Category:Trees of Sumatra

Category:Trees of Borneo

Category:Plants described in 1820