Note 4 — Philippine Ships and Shipbuilding

Probably the lauan (also called lauaan and sándana; Dipterocarpus thurifera—Linn.), a reddish white or ashy wood with brown spots, used chiefly in the construction of canoes, and producing logs 75 feet long by 24 inches square (U.S. Gazetteer). Blanco says that this tree yields a fragrant, hard, white resin, which is used instead of incense in the churches. San Agustin, quoted by Blanco, says that the planks of the sides of the ancient galleys were of lauaan, for balls do not chip this wood. Delgado mentions two species: lauaan mulato, in color almost dark red; and lauaan blanco (white), which was used as planking for boats.