| Hopea odorata | |
|---|---|
| |
| Leaves of Hopea odorata | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malvales |
| Family: | Dipterocarpaceae |
| Genus: | Hopea |
| Species: | H. odorata
|
| Binomial name | |
| Hopea odorata | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
|
List
| |
Hopea odorata is a species of plant in the family Dipterocarpaceae. It is found in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.[1] It is a large tree reaching up to 45 m (150 ft) in height with the base of the trunk reaching a diameter of 4.5 m (15 ft). It grows in forests, preferably near rivers, at elevations to 600 m (2,000 ft). In places such as West Bengal and the Andaman Islands it is often planted as a shade tree.[3] Valued for its wood, it is a threatened species in its natural habitat.[1]
In Thailand, where it is known as ta-khian (Thai: ตะเคียน), this tree is believed to be inhabited by a certain tree spirit known as Lady Ta-khian (Thai: นางตะเคียน), belonging to a type of ghosts related to trees known generically as Nang Mai (นางไม้).[4]
