Irvingia malayana | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Malpighiales |
Family: | Irvingiaceae |
Genus: | Irvingia |
Species: | I. malayana |
Binomial name | |
Irvingia malayana Oliv. ex A.W.Benn. |
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Synonyms | |
Irvingia malayana, also known as wild almond (Thai: กระบก), is a tropical evergreen tree species in the family Irvingiaceae. The specific epithet malayana is from the Latin meaning "of Malaya".
Irvingia malayana grows as a large tree up to 50 metres (160 ft) tall with a trunk diameter of up to 50 centimetres (20 in). The bark is greyish to whitish. The flowers are greenish white or yellowish. The ellipsoid fruits measure up to 6 cm (2 in) long.
Irvingia malayana grows naturally in Indo-China and Malesia. Its main habitat is mixed dipterocarp forest from sea-level to 300 m (1,000 ft) altitude.
The wood of this tree is used in construction. In Thailand's Roi Et Province it is one of the preferred woods for charcoal, where its seeds are also valued as food and eaten roasted.