Koompassia excelsa (known as tualang in Peninsula Malaysia,[3] tapang in Sarawak,[4][5] mangaris in Sabah[4], and bangris in Kalimantan [4]) is an emergent tropical rainforest tree species in the family Fabaceae.

Like most tall rainforest trees they have huge buttress roots to support their weight.

This is because the majority of the nutrients in rainforest soil are very near the surface, making large spreading roots more effective than deep ones.

[7] They grow branches above the canopy (around 30 m or 100 ft) and have slippery trunks which protect them from sun bears, making them in turn attractive to giant honey bees Apis dorsata which hang their huge combs from the branches.

[3] There is a long history in Borneo of the honey combs being collected by native climbers using bamboo ladders built into the trunk, and protected by smoke.