| Hopea odorata | |
|---|---|
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| Leaves of Hopea odorata | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malvales |
| Family: | Dipterocarpaceae |
| Genus: | Hopea |
| Species: | H. odorata |
| Binomial name | |
| Hopea odorata | |
| Synonyms | |
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List
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Hopea odorata is a species of tree in the plant family Dipterocarpaceae. It is found in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.
H. odorata is a large tree reaching up to 45 m (150 ft) in height with the base of the trunk reaching a diameter of 4.5 m (15 ft). It grows in seasonal tropical forests, preferably near rivers, at elevations up to 900 m (3,000 ft). The seeds are about 6 mm, with two wings that are 50-60 mm long. In places such as West Bengal, the Andaman Islands and southern Vietnam it is often planted as a shade tree. Valued for its wood, which shows resistance to termites, it is a threatened species in its natural habitat.
In Thailand, where it is known as ta-khian (Thai: ตะเคียน), this tree is believed to be inhabited by a certain tree spirit known as Lady Ta-khian (Thai: นางตะเคียน), belonging to a type of ghosts related to trees known generically as Nang Mai (นางไม้). This tree species is also the subject of legends in Cambodia, where it is known as Koki; in Vietnam it is called Sao đen.
Media related to Hopea odorata at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to Hopea odorata at Wikispecies
