Giom nam
Melodinus cochinchinensis

Family: Apocynaceae

What it is like

A robust evergreen creeper. The young branches are hairy. It has milky sap. The leaf stalks are 6-10 cm long. The leaves are narrowly oval and 6-12 cm long by 2-4 cm wide. They taper to a short tip and are blunt at the base. The flowers are white. They are in groups at the ends of branches and these are 3-7 cm long. The fruit are almost round and 6 cm long by 4 cm across. They are red-orange. The fruit have a sweet pulp around the seeds.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It is native to southern China between 1,600-2,900 m altitude. It grows in humid forests. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Bhutan, China, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Northeastern India, SE Asia, Thailand, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The ripe fruit are eaten fresh. They are boiled with pork for soup.

Edible parts

Fruit, seeds

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds.

In southern China plants flower May to November and fruit August to December.

Its other names

Local names

Bakwe, Getah ujul, Jing-shan melodinus, Ku-shing, Mau lau chang, Melodinus cina, Phungtse, Si-mao melodinus, Soh-brab

Synonyms

Melodinus henryi Craib.; Melodinus monogynus Roxb. ex Lindl. Many