Koompassia excelsa (Becc.) Taub., in Engl. & Prantl. Nat. Pflanzenfam. 3, 3 (1891)
Latin for 'emergent or high', referring to the height of the tree.

Synonyms
Abauria excelsa Becc., Koompassia parvifolia Prain

Description
Emergent tree up to 76 m tall and 152 cm dbh. Stem very smooth. Stipules ca. 3 mm long. Leaves alternate, compound, leaflets alternate, penni-veined, glabrous, whitish below. Flowers ca. 2.5 mm diameter, white, placed in panicles. Fruits ca. 108 mm long, orange-red, extremely flattened, light weight wind dispersed pods, twisted along the length axis.

Ecology
In undisturbed mixed dipterocarp forests up to 300 m altitude. Common at alluvial sites and on hillsides. Also found on limestone. In secondary forests usually present as a pre-disturbance remnant tree.

Uses
Trees used to collect honey. Wood is used for charcoal, heavy construction and furniture.

Distribution
Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo (Sarawak, Sabah, East-Kalimantan), Philippines.

Local names in Borneo
Benggeris, Bunggaris, Kayu raja, Kempas madu, Mengaris, Tanjit, Tapang.