Imbralyx leucanthus explained

Millettia leucantha or sathon is a species of plant in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is a perennial flowering tree native to Indo-China – Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam – as well as Bangladesh and southern Yunnan province in China.

It is the provincial tree and flower of Khorat or Nakhon Ratchasima Province in Isaan (Thailand), where it is known as sathon (สาธร).

Varieties

Two varieties are recognized:

• Imbralyx leucanthus var. buteoides (synonyms Millettia buteoides, Millettia leucantha var. buteoides, Millettia bassacensis, and Millettia buteoides var. siamensis) – Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam
• Imbralyx leucanthus var. leucanthus (synonyms Millettia latifolia, Millettia leucantha var. latifolia, Millettia pendula, Millettia utilis, Phaseoloides pendulum, and Pongamia pendula) – Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, and southern Yunnan

Uses

Sathon sauce is a flavouring sauce used in Isaan cuisine. The leaves of two species of Millettia are used for making sathon sauce: Millettia utilis and Millettia leucantha var. buteoides (aka Imbralyx leucanthus var. buteoides).^[1] This sauce used for cooking is the only OTOP product made from the sathon tree.^[2]

See also

• Millettia laurentii
• Senna siamea

External links

• Province plant- Khorat
• Detailed picture
• Thai plants
• Studies on the Chemical Constituents of Stem Bark of Millettia leucantha

Notes and References

1. http://www.scisoc.or.th/stt/30/sec_b/paper/stt30_B0157.pdf Loei, Pitsanulok and Petchaburi Province
2. http://www.econbot.org/_organization_/07_annual_meetings/meeting_abstracts/20.pdf SEB Program