ABOVE: Aglaia cucullata is a small tree of the brackish water zone at the back of mangroves with a very wide distribution from India east to Borneo. The timber is very hard and has many local uses but because of the small size and lack of easy access A. cucullata is not logged commercially. The fruit splits open (dehices) when ripe showing a black seed with a cream aril. As the aril is cream rather than bright red this indicates fish dispersal. The seed is also a common drift seed on Bornean beaches which indicates Sea Drift dispersal. However the seed size, shape and packaging indicates hornbill and imperial pigeon dispersal as well.
