Author:
Jan Scholten
Book:
Qjurious
Type:
Info
Chapter:
3-665.23.__
Fagraea fragrans
English: Tembusu.
Buabua (Fiji Islands), Urung (Philippines), Temasuk (Sabah), Tatrao, Trai (Vietnam), Kan Krao (Thailand), Tembesu (Indonesia), Anan, Anama (Burma), Munpla (Thailand, Laos).
Region: Southeast Asia.
Botany: large evergreen tree; trunk dark brown, with deeply fissured bark, looking somewhat like a bittergourd. It grows in an irregular shape from 10 to 25m high; leaves are light green and oval in shape; flowers yellowish fragrant; fruits bitter red berries, eaten by birds and fruit bats.
Use: very hard wood that can be used to make chopping boards. The wood can last over 100 years, particularly as termites and weevils do not eat this kind of wood. People always use this wood for creating the floors of their homes and love to sleep on it.