Cannonball tree, the Buddha birth tree

The Red lauan, Cannonball tree or Sal tree or Sala tree [Couroupita guranensis] is known locally as រាំងភ្នំ (Raing Phnum), រាំងប្រសូត (Raing Prosot) ឬ សាលព្រឹក្ស (Sal Prek). It has beautiful flowers. They are very common planted in public areas, in Buddhist temple [pagoda] or you will see a lot in the Royal Palace or national museum. Locals believed that Buddha was born under this tree that's why they called Raing Prosot [Buddha born-tree]. The Cannonball tree was named because its fruits are as big as artillery's bullet in the ancient time and when it drops, it sounds so strong like the sound of shooting

artillery.

Red lauanRed lauan

Be noted that, the local names are called as រាំងភ្នំ Raing Phnum, same like other species រាំងភ្នំ Raing Phnum [Shorea siamensis, Pentacme siamensis] and Raing Phajek [Shorea obtusa]. The later ones are grown on the mountain only. Below are photos of the other species bear same local names I took during my trip to the mountain.

Raing Phnum [Shorea siamensis, Pentacme siamensis] ផ្ការាំងផ្ចឹកលើខ្នងភ្នំត្បែង និងព្រៃសហគមន៍សង្ឃរុក្ខាវ័ន្ត Inedible flowers, bloom in the month of January/February

Below is រាំងទឹក Raing Teuk (រាំងអន្លក់) [edible plant], English name: Freshwater mangrove, Indian oak [Barringtonia acutangula]. They are known to grow in the river or in floating forest.

 

The guy just got off the Freshwater mangrove/ Indian oak tree for picking up the leaves for his evening mealThe guy went up to the Freshwater mangrove/ Indian oak tree to pick its young leavesFreshwater mangrove / Indian oak​ , picked up fresh from the wild (LG. Sophia_20). They are good used as side vegetables with dipsauce

Barringtonia acutangula / Freshwater mangrove, Indian oak /រាំងទឹក ឬរាំងអន្លក់