Sphaerocoryne lefevrei
Sphaerocoryne lefevrei | |
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Nong Nooch Tropical Garden. Thailand. | |
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Species: | M. fruticosum
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Binomial name | |
Melodorum fruticosum (Lour.) Merr.
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White Cheesewood, Melodorum fruticosum (Template:Lang-th), is a plant of the Annonaceae family native to South-East Asia. It is one of the two species considered the national flower of Cambodia. It is also the provincial flower of Sisaket Province, Thailand.
Description
This plant has a cream-coloured flower with a single alternate leaf.[1] It gives out a pleasant fragrance, especially in the evening. It also has medical uses as a tonic and mild cardiac stimulant and hematinic.
This small tree reaches a height between 8 and 12 m. It is very common in Cambodia, where it is often planted as a decorative tree in public parks. Khmer women have been compared to the Rumdul flower in ancient Cambodian literature and folklore.[2]
In Thailand a traditional cookie, also called ลำดวน (lom duom), is made in the shape of the flower.