Agarwood, or locally known as karas in Malay is a tree species that could grow up to 60 cm in diameter. This species occurs on plain hillsides and ridges to 750 m altitude throughout Peninsular Malaysia except in Perlis and Kedah, while it occurs in the lowland mixed dipterocarp forests up to 270 m altitude in Borneo (Yong et al., 2011). This species is also absent from Sarawak, while other species of this genus are reported to be generally rare (Tawan, 2004). Besides Malaysia, karas tree is also commonly found in the lowland forests of Indonesia, the Philippines, Myanmar and India (Corner, 1988).
The karas tree produces aloes wood or gaharu which is fragrant in nature and is a highly sought-after essential oil in the international trade. The production of gaharu is believed to be due to the pathological infection and reaction of the wood caused by injuries.Typically, gaharu is used as incense in religious ceremonies and due to this, gaharu is highly sought-after and priced both locally and internationally (Desch 1954, Gianno & Kochummen, 1981). The timber, a light hardwood, is suitable for veneer making, packing boxes, indoor light construction and possesses native medicinal values for treating asthma and body healing properties (Burkill, 1996; Whitemore, 1972; Wong, 1978; Lok & Ahmad Zuhaidi, 1996; Anonymous, 1998).
However, most of the karas tree on the market is collected from the wild since the few plantations set up in the early 1900s are either under serious pressure or have been destroyed (IUCN, 1998). For Malaysia, the karas tree has been categorised as Vulnerable due to unsustainable harvest and habitat loss or degradation. Excessive damage induced on the uncontrolled harvest from tree trunks are causing the populations of this species to become Vulnerable to extinction (Chua, 2008; Yong et al., 2011).
No | Description | Suitability | Seasonality |
---|---|---|---|
1 |
Forest → Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland Forest
|
Suitable | Unknown |
Year Published | Assessment | Red List Category | Version |
---|---|---|---|
2018 | IUCN Red List of Threatened Species |
Critically Endangered (CR)
|
3.1 |
2012 | Malaysia Plant Red List |
Vulnerable (VU)
Peninsular Malaysia
|
N/A |
2007 | Malaysia Plant Red List |
Vulnerable (VU)
|
N/A |
1998 | IUCN Red List of Threatened Species |
Vulnerable (VU)
|
2.3 |
Collection Center | Dried | Live | Slide | Wet | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
11 | ||||||
1 | ||||||
1 | ||||||
6 |
Profile | |
---|---|
Ahmad Aldrie Amir (Dr.)
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)
|
Vascular,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Conservation, Ecosystems, Environment, Evolution, Forest, History, Law and Policy, Management, Marine & Coastal, Protected Areas & Science
|
Alona Cuevas Linatoc (Assoc. Prof. Dr.)
Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM)
|
Vascular,
Biodiversity & Conservation
|
Anisah Lee Abdullah (Assoc. Prof. Dr.)
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)
|
Coral Reefs, Vascular,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Conservation, Ecosystems, Environment, Geoinformatics, Management, Marine & Coastal, Protected Areas, Science, Technology & Water
|
Asyraf Mansor (Dr.)
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)
|
Palms, Vascular (Ecology),
Biodiversity, Conservation, Ecosystems, Environment, Evolution & Forest
|
Avelinah Julius (Dr.)
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)
|
Vascular (Taxonomy),
|
Cheah Yih Horng (Mr.)
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)
|
Moss, Vascular,
Biodiversity & Systematics
|
Chong Ju Lian (Dr.)
Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT)
|
Mammals (Ecology), Vascular (Ecology),
Invasive Alien Species, Protected Areas, Digital Sequence Information (DSI), Marine & Coastal & Climate Change
|
E. Soepadmo (Prof.)
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)
|
Vascular,
|
Vascular,
|
|
John Baptist Sugau (Mr.)
Department of Forestry Peninsular Malaysia (JPSM)
|
Vascular (Taxonomy),
|
Kartini Binti Saibeh (Dr.)
Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS)
|
Vascular,
Agriculture, Biodiversity & Conservation
|
Lau Kah Hoo (Mr.)
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)
|
Vascular, Ginger,
Conservation
|
Lillian Chua Swee Lian (Dr.)
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)
|
Vascular,
Conservation
|
Lim Chung Lu (Mr.)
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)
|
Vascular (Taxonomy),
|
Mahani Bt. Mansor Clyde (Prof. Dr.)
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)
|
Vascular,
|
Mohamad Azani Alias (Assoc. Prof. Dr.)
Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM)
|
Vascular (Taxonomy), Vascular, Vascular, Amphibians, Amphibians,
Biodiversity, Conservation, Climate Change, Protected Areas & Forest
|
Mohd Fahmi Abu Bakar (Ts. Dr.)
Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA)
|
Vascular,
Digital Sequence Information (DSI), Evolution, Genetics, Molecular & Systematics
|
Mohd Nazre Salleh @ Japri (Assoc. Prof. Dr.)
Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM)
|
Vascular,
Biodiversity
|
Mohd Norfaizal Ghazalli (Dr.)
Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI)
|
Vascular, Pitcher plants,
Agriculture, Biodiversity, Conservation, Ecosystems, Science, Systematics & Taxonomy
|
Nadiah Idris (Mrs.)
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)
|
Vascular (Taxonomy),
|
Nazahatul Anis Amaludin (Dr.)
Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK)
|
Vascular (Ecology),
Biodiversity & Conservation
|
Nor Ezzawanis Abdullah Thani (Mrs.)
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)
|
Vascular (Taxonomy),
Digital Sequence Information (DSI)
|
Norzielawati Bt. Salleh (Mrs.)
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)
|
Vascular,
Biodiversity, Forest & Molecular
|
Nur Kyariatul Syafinie Abdul Majid (Ms.)
Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK)
|
Vascular (Ecology),
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Conservation, Forest & Protected Areas
|
Nur Supardi Md Noor (Dr.)
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)
|
Palms, Vascular,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Conservation, Ecosystems, Environment, Forest & Management
|
Ong Poh Teck (Mr.)
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)
|
Vascular (Taxonomy), Orchids,
|
Rafidah Abdul Rahman (Mrs.)
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)
|
Vascular (Taxonomy),
|
Richard Chung Cheng Kong (Dr.)
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)
|
Vascular (Taxonomy),
|
Rusea Go (Prof. Dr.)
Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM)
|
Orchids (Taxonomy), Vascular (Taxonomy), Vascular (Ecology),
Biodiversity, Conservation, Environment, Forest, Management, Protected Areas, Climate Change & Invasive Alien Species
|
Sam Yen Yen (Dr.)
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)
|
Vascular (Taxonomy), Ginger,
|
Saw Leng Guan (Dr.)
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)
|
Vascular,
|
Shamsul Khamis (Dr.)
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)
|
Vascular (Taxonomy),
Taxonomy
|
Siti Aishah Abdullah (Assoc. Prof. Dr.)
Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT)
|
Vascular,
|
Siti Munirah Mat Yunoh (Mrs.)
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)
|
Vascular (Taxonomy),
Marine & Coastal
|
Suhaida Mustafa (Mrs.)
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)
|
Vascular (Ecology),
Conservation
|
Syahida Emiza Suhaimi (Mrs.)
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)
|
Vascular,
|
Syazwani Bt. Azeman (Mrs.)
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)
|
Vascular,
Biodiversity, Forest & Science
|
Tam Sheh May (Dr.)
Taylor's University
|
Orchids, Vascular,
Biodiversity, Data Analysis, Evolution, Genetics & Molecular
|
Tan Swee Lian (Dr.)
Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM)
|
Vascular (Ecology),
Agriculture & Biodiversity
|
Ummul Nazrah Abdul Rahman (Ms.)
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)
|
Vascular (Taxonomy),
|
Wendy Yong Sze Yee (Ms.)
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)
|
Vascular,
Conservation & Biodiversity
|
Yao Tze Leong (Mr.)
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)
|
Vascular,
Biodiversity & Ecosystems
|
Yong Kien Thai (Dr.)
University of Malaya (UM)
|
Moss, Vascular (Taxonomy), Ferns (Taxonomy),
Protected Areas, Biodiversity, Conservation, Evolution & Taxonomy
|
Acknowledgements :- Mr. Ahmad Amir Firdaus Bin Mad Apandi, Mr. Ahmad Bukhari Hasbullah, Ms. Aida Salihah Binti Abu Bakar, Ms. Ajla Rafidah Baharom, Ms. Amirah Hasanah Binti Mazlan, Mrs. Aziemah Binti Kinan, Mr. Badrul Amin Bin Jaffar, Mrs. Faridah Anas, Ms. Fatin Qurratul 'ain Binti Saberam, Mrs. Hazlina Ali, Ms. Heng Pooi San, Ms. Mayzaitun Nurshuhaida Binti Mahd Khasani, Ms. Mira Farzana Binti Mohamad Mokhtar, Mr. Muhammad Izzuddin Bin Hazan, Mr. Nabil Arif Bin Abdul Naim, Mrs. Noor Ashikin Binti Hj. Mohamad, Ms. Noorkhalilie Binti Che Abd Aziz, Ms. Norayuni Binti Ramlee, Ms. Norazah Binti Norddin, Ms. Nur Diana Bt Mohd Rusdi, Mrs. Nur Hazwanie Binti Abd Halim, Ms. Nur Syahirah Binti Abd Hamid, Ms. Nurfadzilah Bt Azmi, Ms. Nurfarhana Hizan Binti Hijas, Ms. Nurul Aimi Amirah Binti Mohd Zaki, Ms. Siti Zubaidah Binti Abdul Latif, Mr. Tan Kok Kiat & Mr. Yasser Mohamed Arifin
Photo credit :- FRIM, Lau Kah Hoo, Saw Leng Guan, Syahida Emiza Suhaimi & Wendy Yong Sze Yee
Species Citation :- Aquilaria malaccensis. Malaysia Biodiversity Information System (MyBIS). Accessed via https://www.mybis.gov.my/sp/23467. [Retrieved 10 December 2023].
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