Hopea philippinensis
Definition
Hopea philippinensis is a species of dipterocarp rainforest tree endemic to the Philippines, belonging to Hopea, a genus of mostly medium-sized hardwoods named in honor of the eighteenth-century Scottish botanist John Hope.
Identities
| Source Type | Identity |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | Hopea philippinensis |
| Wikidata | Q5485924 |
| DBpedia | N/A |
Also Known As
A Philippine Hopea of the yang-group hardwoods in regional forestry parlance.
Examples and Analogies
Where Shorea and Dipterocarpus are the forest’s towers, Hopea species are its townhouses — smaller trees that fill the mid-story, and often the first to flower overhead when the forest’s mass blooming years arrive.
Usage Scenarios
- Specialty fine hardwood from carefully managed stands
- Ecological restoration planting in Philippine lowland sites
- Subject of research on dipterocarp population genetics
Strategies
Conservation favors in-forest protection of Hopea stands, since these species regenerate in shade and can be grown under canopy rather than requiring clearance — an advantage for enrichment planting schemes.
Security and Safety Measures
Modest size reduces felling risk relative to emergent giants; the greater safety issue is habitat fire during El Niño droughts, which can wipe out regenerating cohorts.
Historical Context
The genus Hopea entered science during the era of Asian tropical botany’s formalization; Philippine species were sorted out as collectors penetrated the archipelago’s forests in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Challenges and Controversies
Like most Philippine dipterocarps, the species is threatened by logging and land conversion; because Hopea is under-logged relative to the famous lauan, its real conservation status is murkier than its better-studied relatives.
Related Topic
Parashorea malaanonan — a larger Philippine dipterocarp of the same forests, illustrating the family’s range from giants to understory trees