Dracontomelon

Dracontomelon is a genus of flowering plants in the family Anacardiaceae, growing mostly in Southeast Asia and the Pacific islands. The fruit may be used in local cuisine, especially as a souring agent, including in Vietnam, where it is known as sấu.

Species

Dracontomelon costatum Blume - Borneo, Sumatra
Dracontomelon dao Merr. & Rolfe - Southeast Asia to Solomon Islands
Dracontomelon duperreanum Pierre - southern China and Vietnam
Dracontomelon laoticum C.M.Evrard & Tardieu
Dracontomelon lenticulatum Wilkinson - New Guinea
Dracontomelon macrocarpum Li - China
Dracontomelon petelotii Tardieu - northern Vietnam
Dracontomelon schmidii Tardieu - Vietnam
Dracontomelon vitiense Engl. - Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga, Western Samoa

Reclassified species

The following are known synonyms:

Dracontomelon cuspidatum Blume: syn. of Dacryodes rostrata H. J. Lam
D. laoticum Evrard & Tardieu: syn. of Protium serratum Engl.
D. pilosum Seem.: syn. of Didymocheton alliaceus Mabb.
D. papuanum Lauterb.: syn. of Protium macgregorii Leenh.
D. multijugum Radlk. : syn. of Toona ciliata var. multijuga Panigrahi & S.C.Mishra

Culinary use

The most commonly eaten species is Dracontomelon duperreanum, which produces an edible fruit that is eaten in Cambodia, Vietnam and China. In Vietnamese, the plant is called cây sấu and is a common urban tree in Hanoi; the fruit is called quả sấu. The fruit is used in Vietnamese cuisine both as a souring agent and a candied treat similar to the Japanese umeboshi. The treat is popular among youths. In Chinese, the fruit is called 仁面.