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Molucca albizia (Falcataria moluccana)

Sengon laut or Molucca albizia (Falcataria moluccana) is a species of wood-producing trees in Fabaceae, claimed to have the fastest growth in the world with the addition of a height of 7 m/year, producing white light wood for light construction, packing crates, particle boards and blockboards.

F. moluccana has a height of 40 m and a diameter of 100 cm or more, the main stem is generally straight and cylindrical with clear bole up to 20 m. The bark is gray or whitish, smooth or slightly warted with a line of lenticels. Shady canopy, umbrella-shaped and tenuous. Young twigs have sides and hair.

Dlium Molucca albizia (Falcataria moluccana)

Double pinnate compound leaves, small minor leaves, easily fall out with one or more glands on the stem and length 23-30 cm. Leaf fins number 6-20 pairs, each containing 6-26 pairs of elliptical or elongated minor leaves with a very tilted, pointed tip, 0.6-1.8x0.5 cm.

Small flowers, yellowish white, hairy, androgynous, collected in branched panicles, 10-25 cm long and located in the armpit of the leaf. A total of 5, toothed petals with a height of 2 mm. The crown tube is funnel-shaped, white and turns yellow, haired, 6 mm high. Large stamens, white, emerge from a tube and come out beyond the crown.

Molucca albizia produces thin, ribbon-like pods, straight, 6-12x2 cm with a stem length of 0.5-1 cm. The pods break down when they are old and throughout the seam and have 16 seeds or less.

Terrace wood is white or light brown, while sapwood is almost no different from hardwood. Wood has an almost slippery and shiny surface with a somewhat rough and even texture. Fresh wood has a strong odor that gradually disappears after the wood is dry.



Sengon laut has three subspecies: Falcataria moluccana falcataria, Falcataria moluccana salomonensis and Falcataria moluccana fulva. The original habitat is primary forests, but is often found in secondary forests and flood plains on river banks and sometimes in coastal forests.

Generally it is widely planted near settlements, road sides, river banks, fields, paddy fields, tea, coffee and dry fields. Sengon laut also lives in the open and likes clay soil at an altitude of 1650 m. Very fond of wet climates to rather dry and can grow on infertile, stagnant and slightly salty soil.

F. moluccana is classified as light wood, specific gravity is 0.33, strong class IV-V and durable class IV-V. Wood is easily preserved and dried even though fibers that are not straight often occur with bends and twisting. Natural drying of boards with a thickness of 2.5 cm and a moisture content of 20% requires 33 days.

Wood is easily sawed, shaved, shaped, sanded and pulverized. Drilling and making square holes sometimes give unsatisfactory results. Traditionally widely used as boards, rafters, beams, poles and others.

Now commonly used for making boards, packing crates, veneers, pulp, fiber boards, particle boards, blockboards, lighters, footwear, soap crates, household furniture, toy materials, packaging materials and paper. Wood will be more durable and long lasting after being painted and calcined or given other treatments as deemed necessary.

F. moluccana is also often planted as an ornamental plant, shade and shade tree in plantations, erosion control, green manure and firewood. The leaves are used to feed chickens and goats. Bark produces a tanning agent used as mesh.

Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae
(unranked): Mimosoid clade
Genus: Falcataria
Species: F. moluccana
Subspecies: F. moluccana falcataria, F. moluccana salomonensis and F. moluccana fulva

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