Jasmine mahogany tree
Dysoxylum excelsum

Family: Meliaceae

What it is like

A tree. It grows up to 36 m high. The trunk is straight and can be 80 cm across. It has buttresses up to 3 m tall. The leaves are compound with leaflets along the stalk. There are an even number of leaflets without one at the end. The leaves are 10-25 cm long by 4-10 cm wide. The flowers are 1 cm across. They are pale cream. They are in clusters 30-100 cm long. Fruit can be 4-5 cm long. They are orange and turn red when ripe. They have 4-5 valves. The seeds have a red coating.

There are about 80-200 Dysoxylum species. They occur in Asia and the Pacific in the tropics.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. In grows in rain forests in mountain valleys and in evergreen broad-leaved forests between 100-1,000 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, SE Asia, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tibet, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The fruit are pickled and eaten. The young shoots and flowers are eaten as a vegetable. They are boiled.

Shoots are sold in local markets.

Edible parts

Fruit, leaves, flowers

How it is grown

Plants can be grown by seeds.

Its other names

Local names

Bebekok, Bunga kombil, Durong, Galwa, Kasai tembaga, Kasip hutan, Ki gegula, Ki warirang, Kulim burong, Malau, M'bukbua, Plukrak, Pohon kedoya pingku, Singthupi, Sinthup, Sla-luchai, Thing thupui, Thinkpui, Trus gunung

Synonyms

Alliaria procera (Hiern) Kuntze; Azedarach nigra Noronha; Dysoxylum altissimum Merr.; Dysoxylum arnoldianum K.Schum.; Dysoxylum excelsum var. hasseltii Miq.; Dysoxylum excelsum var. genuinum Koord. & Valet.; Dysoxylum excelsum var. parvifolium Koord. & Valet.; Dysoxylum excelsum var. pedicellatum Koord. & Valet.; Dysoxylum gobara (Buch.-Ham.) Merr.; Dysoxylum hasseltii (Miq.) Koord. & Valet.; Dysoxylum havilandii Ridl.; Dysoxylum huberti Harms; Dysoxylum macgregorii C. DC.; Dysoxylum microbotrys King; Dysoxylum motleyanum (C. DC.) Ridl.; Dysoxylum pallidum Merr.; Dysoxylum peerisiae Kosterm.; Dysoxylum procerum Hiern; Dysoxylum procerum var. integrum C. DC.; Dysoxylum procerum var. macranthum C. DC.; Dysoxylum procerum var. motleyanum C.DC.; Dysoxylum turbinatum King; Epicharis dubiosa Span. ex Miq.; Epicharis procera (Hiern) Pierre; Guarea acuminata Wall.; Guarea disyphonia Griff.; Guarea gobara (Aiken) Buch.-Ham.; Guarea procera Wall.; Guarea oblonga Wall.; Hartighsea excelsa (Blume) A. Juss.; Hartighsea gobara Wight & Arn.; Macrocheton excelsum (Blume) M. Roem.; Trichilia excelsa Spreng.;