Lo vieng
Catunaregam tomentosa

Family: Rubiaceae

What it is like

A shrub of small tree. It grows 2-10 m tall. It has spines. The leaves have a rusty coating. The flowers are white and have 8-10 parts. The fruit is round and 3-4 cm across. It is velvety brown.

There are 5 or 6 Catunaregum species. The fruit are used for washing hair and clothes - due to saponins. It is used in medicine as an anti-diabetic plant.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in clear forests and undergrowth in tropical Asia. It grows in dry bare soils.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Cambodia, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, SE Asia, Thailand, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Gang, Gang bot, Gang trang, Ka thaeng, Khet, Khlet, Lveang

Synonyms

Gardenia tomentosa Blume ex DC.; Randia tomentosa (Blume ex DC.) Hok.f. [Illegitimate]; and others