Hopea odorata

Hopea odorata
	Leaves of Hopea odorata
Conservation status
	; Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Embryophytes
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Malvales
Family:	Dipterocarpaceae
Genus:	Hopea
Species:	H. odorata
Binomial name
	Hopea odorata; Roxb.
Synonyms
	List Hopea vasta Wall. nom. inval.; Hopea wightiana Miq. ex Dyer nom. inval.; ;

Hopea odorata is a species of tree in the plant family Dipterocarpaceae. It is found in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.^[1]

Description

H. odorata 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, the Andaman Islands and southern Vietnam it is often planted as a shade tree.^[3] Valued for its wood, which shows resistance to termites, it is a threatened species in its natural habitat.^[1]

Traditions

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]

Gallery

A leaf of Hopea odorata
Lengths of brocade tied around the exposed roots of a Hopea odorata tree (ตะเคียน) growing on a steep slope as an offering to Nang Ta-khian
Nang Ta-khian
Hopea odorata at Hùng Temple, Vietnam
Hopea odorata, Ta-khian trees, by Na Mueang Waterfalls, Koh Samui, Thailand.
Hopea odorata, Ta-khian trees with a shrine for the spirit Nang Ta-khian, by Na Mueang Waterfalls, Koh Samui, Thailand.