Many species are used for their
wood. Some are
hardwood trees that can reach 30 meters in height. They tend to grow rapidly. The outer sapwood is yellowish, yellow-brown, or orange, sometimes with a pink tinge, and the inner heartwood is light reddish to red-brown. The wood has a streaked, ribboned, or zig-zag grain. The wood has been used to build boats, flooring, and furniture, and made into
plywood.
Calophyllum wood may be sold under the name bitangor, and the species may be used interchangeably; one shipment may contain boards from several different species. The timber provides very high
chatoyance, with an average value above 24 PZC. Plants of the genus are also known for their chemistry, with a variety of
secondary metabolites isolated, such as
coumarins,
xanthones,
flavonoids, and
triterpenes. Compounds from the genus have been reported to have
cytotoxic, anti-
HIV,
antisecretory,
cytoprotective,
antinociceptive,
molluscicidal, and
antimicrobial properties. Some plants are used in
folk medicine to treat conditions such as
peptic ulcers,
tumors,
infections,
pain, and
inflammation.
C. inophyllum is the source of tamanu oil, a greenish, nutty-scented
oil of commercial value. It has been used as
massage oil, topical medicine,
lamp oil, and
waterproofing, and is still used in
cosmetics.
Tacamahac is the resin of the tree. This species is also cultivated for its wood and planted in coastal landscaping as a
windbreak and for
erosion control. ==Symbolism==