Mock lime, Orchid tree
Aglaia odoratissima

Family: Meliaceae

What it is like

A small tree. It grows 12-20 m tall. The trunk is 30 cm across. The bark is smooth and greenish-grey. There are a few long, divided branches. The twigs are slender and covered with scales. The leaves have leaflets along the stalk and one at the end. There are 1-3 pairs of leaflets. The leaves are 10-30 cm long and 5-30 cm wide. There are 3-5 leaflets are that are 5-18 cm long by 1-6 cm wide. They are pale brown underneath. The male flowers are 1.5 mm wide and the flowering cluster is 7-35 cm long by 2-25 cm wide. The female flowering group are narrow and spike like. The fruit are 2 cm long by 1-1.5 cm wide. They are oval and rounded at the tip and taper to the base. They are orange to red and covered with scales.

There are about 104 Aglaia species. They occur in Asia and the Pacific.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in the forest from sea level to 1,900 m altitude. It often grows along rivers.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Brunei, China, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nicobar, Philippines, SE Asia, Singapore, Thailand

How it is used for food

The flowers are used to flavour tea.

The fruit are often eaten by children. It is sometimes cultivated in gardens.

Edible parts

Fruit - spice, fruit - aril, flowers

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds.

In Thailand it flowers all year round and mostly fruits January to June.

Its other names

Local names

Fika labo, Kasai, Khi hen, Lantupak, Lembunau, Lenzat hutan, Mata lawid, Ma ti, Me-ke, Nuan paeng, Pancal kidang, Pokok telur belangkas hutan, Prayong paa, Sangkhriat, Sang khriat lueat, Tangiran manok, Tanglu, Thanatka-wa

Synonyms

Aglaia affinis Merrill; Aglaia cuspidella Ridl.; Aglaia diepenhorstii Miquel; Aglaia fraseri Ridl.; Aglaia heterophylla Merrill; Aglaia paniculata Kurz; Aglaia roxburghiana Hiern in part non Miq.; Milnea blumei Teijsm. & Binn.; ?