Sterculia lychnophora
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sterculia lychnophora Hance | ||||||||||||||
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Dried Sterculia lychnophora seeds
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Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||
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Binomial name | ||||||||||||||
Sterculia lychnophora Hance |
Sterculia lychnophora Hance is a species of tree in the genus Sterculia, native to mainland Southeast Asia.
[edit] Description
The tree grows to a height of 25-30 meters. The dried seeds are the size of an adult's fingertip; they are brown and have coarse skin.
[edit] Culinary and medicinal use
The flesh surrounding the dried seeds swells to eight times its original volume when soaked in water, forming an irregularly shaped, reddish gelatinous mass. After being soaked and the seed kernel removed, the flesh is mixed with granulated white sugar, ice, and soaked basil seeds, and drunk as a cooling drink in Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia. They are sometimes also used, along with other ingredients, in sweet, cool soups similar to the Chinese tong sui.[1]
The seeds are also called poontalai, pangdahai, samrong, hột lười ươi, hạt lười ươi, đười ươi, mak chong, or malva nuts. They are used in traditional Chinese medicine.
The species is also given as Scaphium macropodum or Scaphium lychnophorum.
In China, the "sterculia lychnophora" or "poontahai" is used in tea as well by mixing with other ingredients such as sugar candy, red date, haw, liquorice, chrysanthemun flower, lilyturfroot, and jasmine tea. The advantage of such tea is beleieved to reduce the "hotness" of the body, and nurture the body.
According to the Chinese medicine, the use of "sterculia lychnophora" is to remove heat from the lung, to cure sore throat, to counteract toxicity, and to relax the bowels. Therefore, when a person has symptoms such as hoarseness of voice, dry cough, and sore, dry throat due to heat in the lung; constipation with headache and bloodshot eyes should consume the Sterculia lychnophora by putting it into boiling water.
[edit] External links
- Photo of dried Sterculia lychnophora seeds
- Photo of Vietnamese soup containing Sterculia lychnophora
- Sterculia lychnophora page (Vietnamese)