The 150-foot rainforest giant of Assam is the Hollong tree (Dipterocarpus macrocarpus), the official State Tree of Assam that dominates tropical evergreen habitats like the Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary and Dehing Patkai.
The 150-foot rainforest giant of Assam is the Hollong tree (Dipterocarpus macrocarpus), the official State Tree of Assam that dominates tropical evergreen habitats like the Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary and Dehing Patkai.
Ecological Role and Monsoon Adaptations
Rain Interception: -
Broad, dense upper leaves catch and slow down heavy monsoon downpours before they smash into the earth.
Soil Anchoring: -
Deep, powerful root systems lock the loose tropical soil in place to prevent severe erosion during floods.
Microclimate Shaping: -
Tremendous height cools and stabilizes the under-canopy environment for smaller plants and animals.
Wind Dispersal:-
Winged seeds use post-monsoon seasonal air currents to travel and reproduce far from the parent tree.
Conservation Status
Population Decline: -
Scientists estimate that regional numbers have dropped by 50% to 70%.
Threats: -
Centuries of commercial logging and ongoing habitat loss have severely impacted the remaining old-growth stands.
MJF Lion ER YK Sharma
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