Indian gurjan (Dipterocarpus indicus)

Indian gurjan is Dipterocarpus indicus, a giant evergreen tree found only in the wet forests of the Western Ghats. Its timber and its oily resin were heavily used, and it is now assessed as endangered. It deserves to be known as a forest tree to protect, not as a product.

Botanical name: Dipterocarpus indicus Bedd.
Family: Dipterocarpaceae
Tamil: Ennai
Hindi: Gurjan
Parts used: Timber, Oleoresin (historical; wild-tapped trade is a conservation problem)
Habit: Western Ghats dipterocarp; endangered
Last updated: 2026-10-25

How to recognise Indian gurjan

Dipterocarpus means “two-winged fruit”, and that is the field mark: a nut held between two long, papery wings that spin like a helicopter seed as it falls.

It is a tall, straight tree, often emerging above the canopy, with smooth grey bark and big, leathery leaves with prominent parallel veins. Young shoots carry large, pointed stipules that fall and litter the forest floor.

Cut or damaged bark weeps a thick, aromatic oleoresin. Gurjan balsam, the historical trade product, came from several Dipterocarpus species across South and Southeast Asia.

Its relatives Hopea parviflora and Vateria indica share the same forests and also yield resin. Their fruits have shorter wings, or wings of unequal length.

Traditional use of Indian gurjan

Timber and resin

The wood was used for construction, railway sleepers and plywood, and the resin went into varnish, caulking for boats and lamp oil.

Western Ghats forestry

Modern notes on Indian gurjan

Gurjan balsam was once listed in pharmacopoeias as a topical preparation. Modern use is negligible, and none of it justifies tapping wild trees.

The modern story is conservation. Logging and forest clearance across its small range led to its endangered assessment on the IUCN Red List.

Indian gurjan safety

Do not swallow the resin. Its main real-world risk today is to the tree, not to people.

Ecology and sourcing

Dipterocarps flower irregularly and their winged seeds do not travel far, so a felled patch is slow to recover.

It grows in low- and mid-elevation evergreen forest of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Protected areas and sacred groves hold much of what remains.

Related plants

Questions about Indian gurjan

Is Indian gurjan teak?

No. Teak is Tectona grandis, a different family with very different leaves and fruit.

Is Indian gurjan white dammar?

No. White dammar comes from Vateria indica, a neighbour in the same forests.

Should anyone tap a wild tree?

No. It is an endangered endemic, and tapping wounds trees that are already scarce.

Sources

Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.