Heritiera globosa is one of the most common drift seeds found on sandy beaches near river estuaries in Borneo, however unlike Heritiera littoralis which often grows in coastal forest, H. globosa normally grows in association with Nipa palm forest in shallow brackish water on slightly higher ground than the Nipa palms themselves. In Brunei Bay the Nipa palms that line the waterways are backed by a second line of H. globosa.
The local name Itek itekan means ducklings from appearance of a flotilla of these seeds floating down a river towards the sea.
