Kingdom Plantae Family Annonaceae Species M. siamense | Order Magnoliales Genus Melodorum | |
Similar Melodorum, Uvaria siamensis, Uvaria rufa, Mitrephora, Uvaria | ||
Melodorum siamense (Taxonomic synonym Rauwenhoffia siamensis; called in local Thai name as Nom-Maew) is a plant in the family Annonaceae. Melodorum siamense is a small tree, related to the ylang-ylang. It is successfully grown in containers and is easy in care, blooming from spring till fall. Despite their plainness, the flowers of Melodorum distribute their fine perfume to great distances. It is for this that Asian gardeners include it with pleasure among their favorite garden plants. This plant can tolerate some shade; however, the lack of sunlight adversely affects flowering.
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Description
Melodorum siamense is a native tree of Thailand, a perennial plant with the small trunk, a tree 1-2 meters, High Trunk, branches, stalks are dark. Drooping branches, leaf is especially monocotyledonous and long sharp, single bloom out as group of 1-3 flowers which each flower always has 6 petals. Yellow-Green color in 1-2 cm. large, very fragrant flowers and blooms throughout the year.
Region Found
Nom-Maew are the endemic plants found only in the rain forests of central and southern Thailand. Commonly found growing along the forest humid Thailand popular planted in the house so that the Nom-Maew is truly the tree of Thailand.
Cultivation
This tree is a good container plant. Relatively problem-free and requires little care. Even though the flowers are inconspicuous, a single flower fills the air around (feet away) with pleasant perfume, thus the plant has a high value and is often used in Asian gardens. Shade tolerant, but needs bright light for reliable blooming.
Properties
It is an essential ingredient in a famous Indonesian herbal concoction which includes, besides Melodorum, ginseng root, powdered corn, etc. This tincture contains essential oils, pectin, carbohydrates, three-terpene glycosides, saponides and other useful substances. It possesses a pleasant taste and aroma, and offers a variety of benefits: it improves muscle tone, expands circulation, reduces blood pressure, restores an regular heart rhythm, increases red blood cell count, reduces pain and fatigue, cleanses the body of toxic substances and stimulates intellectual activity.
Literature
Nom-Maew was always found in Thai literature because it can find around this country. It could be found in some Thai Poem, Journey to Muang Klang, Sunthorn Pho, 1806