Hopea odorata is a species of tree in the plant family Dipterocarpaceae. It is found in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.
H. odorata is a large tree reaching up to in height with the base of the trunk reaching a diameter of . It grows in forests, preferably near rivers, at elevations to . In places such as West Bengal, the Andaman Islands and southern Vietnam it is often planted as a shade tree.[1] Valued for its wood, which shows resistance to termites, it is a threatened species in its natural habitat.
In Thailand, where it is known as ta-khian (Thai: ตะเคียน), this tree is believed to be inhabited by a certain tree spirit known as Lady Ta-khian (Thai: นางตะเคียน), belonging to a type of ghosts related to trees known generically as Nang Mai (นางไม้).[2]
