Teak

Teak
Teak foliage and fruits
Conservation status
Endangered  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Lamiaceae
Genus:	Tectona
Species:	T. grandis
Binomial name
Tectona grandis L.f.
Synonyms[2]
Jatus grandis (L.f.) Kuntze Tectona grandis f. abludens Koord. & Valeton Tectona grandis f. canescens Moldenke Tectona grandis f. pilosula Moldenke Tectona grandis f. punctata Moldenke Tectona grandis f. tomentella Moldenke Tectona theca Lour. Theka grandis (L.f.) Lam.

Teak (Tectona grandis) is a tropical hardwood tree species in the family Lamiaceae. It is a large, deciduous tree that occurs in mixed hardwood forests. Tectona grandis has small, fragrant white flowers arranged in dense clusters (panicles) at the end of the branches. These flowers contain both types of reproductive organs (perfect flowers). The large, papery leaves of teak trees are often hairy on the lower surface. Teak wood has a leather-like smell when it is freshly milled and is particularly valued for its durability and water resistance. The wood is used for boat building, exterior construction, veneer, furniture, carving, turnings, and various small projects.^[3]

Tectona grandis is native to south and southeast Asia, mainly Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Sri Lanka, but is naturalised and cultivated in many countries in Africa and the Caribbean. Myanmar's teak forests account for nearly half of the world's naturally occurring teak.^[4] Molecular studies show that there are two centres of the genetic origin of teak: one in India and the other in Myanmar and Laos.^[5][6]