Facts About Tabulian: A Rare Tree Species with Amazing Properties

Yesterday, while the author scours the isolated wilderness of southern Palawan in western Philippines, he bumped into one of the amazing works of nature – the tabulian. Tabulian is a rare tree species that may be new to science as it can only be found in the forested, rolling hills of Barangay Culasian. The native Palaw’ans living in Sitio Tabulian-Tabulian and the lowlanders discovered the tree’s amazing properties.

The tree is so sturdy and almost immune to the stresses of nature, except that the buttress roots appear to be not strong enough when a strong typhoon lashed the place many decades ago. The local Palaw'an panglima or tribe leader recounted that many members of their tribe died during that freak incident inflicted by nature. The place has been without any storm for a long time. It must have been a very strong typhoon because many of the sturdy tabulian trees were uprooted (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1. Fallen tabulian tree revealing the above ground root system.

These fallen trees are now being harvested by the Palaw'ans to help them meet their need to buy the things of the lowlanders as their culture gradually merges with the ways of the lowlanders.

Amazing Properties of Tabulian

The tree appears to have a certain preference for nutrients found in the shallow portions of the soil, which may be the reason for the incredible hardness of its trunk. For this reason, tabulian is used by the local folks as posts for fences, able to withstand years of use as it is not attacked by termites nor get rotten with continuous exposure to the rainy and highly humid climate in the uplands. According to Adok Desig, the tribe’s chieftain, an arm size pole of tabulian could last ten years or even more. Mature ones will probably last for decades or even centuries. The barangay chairman says it could be tougher than iron and could serve as a core structure in buildings if encased in cement. Others use it as a roller, to flatten the soil in rice paddies (Fig. 2). There’s a catch though, the tabulian will rot once somebody urinates on it. Must it be the wood composition of tabulian reacting to methane in urine? Nobody tried to find out and there are no answers at the moment.

Fig. 2. A farm roller made of tabulian trunk.

Aside from serving as sturdy posts, tabulian is also fire-resistant tree species. This property makes tabulian a good buffer to protect much more fire-sensitive tree species (although fire has also positive benefits of fire as earlier pointed out). This fire-resistant property makes it a poor fuel wood candidate.

Other Characteristics of Tabulian

Many stands of young Tabulian trees grow near streams, probably to facilitate access to water. But large trees are found in higher elevations, standing magnificently over other tree species. The largest to be found in the known range is almost 9 meters (8.8 m) in circumference with an estimated diameter of almost 3 meters. It would take about five people to hug it (Fig. 3).

Fig. 3. The largest remaining tree in Sitio Tabulian-tabulian.

Tabulian has hardy seeds that are tough to crack but fungi aid in softening the hard shell. It has wide, alternately arranged leaves (Fig. 4).

Fig. 4. Tabulian seed and leaves.

Origin of Tabulian

Tabulian is believed by the native Palaw’ans to have come from the neighboring island of Malaysia. Their ancestors narrated that tabulian was given as dowry by a Malaysian who married a local lass in Sitio Tabulian-Tabulian. It is possible then that tabulian is growing in Malaysia but no scientific investigation was conducted to verify this.

Current Status of Tabulian

Although Adok Bisig estimates the young Tabulian trees in thousands, there are only about 50 large trees remaining in Sitio Sumigabat. For this reason, tabulian is probably one of the endangered tree species in mainland Palawan or even the Philippines. It will be a pity to lose this rare tree species with amazing properties.

©Patrick A. Regoniel 1 December 2010 Facts About Tabulian: A Rare Tree Species with Amazing Properties