Garcinia oliveri
Garcinia oliveri is a cousin species of the mangosteen and also bears edible fruit. This plant is also known by local names ໂມງ ([móːŋ]) in Laotian, Bứa núi in Vietnamese, and Tromoung in Khmer. It grows naturally in South-East Asia, including in Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.
| Garcinia oliveri | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Clusiaceae |
| Genus: | Garcinia |
| Species: | G. oliveri |
| Binomial name | |
| Garcinia oliveri | |
This plant is a tree that grows up to 30 m high, with drooping branches. The leaves are large, thick, blade oblongs that are 10–27 cm long, attached to short petioles about 1 cm long. Its male flowers have 5 petals and 1 cm long stamens united into 5 bundles, while its hermaphroditic flowers have ovaries with 9–10 loculi. Its fruits are globose, about 4–5 cm in diameter, with red pericarp.[1]
In Vietnam, the plant's young leaves are used for food, such as being cooked in soup, or eaten fresh in a dish called banh xeo.
References
- Tanaka, Yoshitaka; Van Ke, Nguyen (2007). Edible Wild Plants of Vietnam: The Bountiful Garden. Thailand: Orchid Press. p. 65. ISBN 9745240893.