Canarium album[2] is a tree species in the genus Canarium and the family Burseraceae, found in Indo-China; the Catalogue of Life does not record any sub-species.[2]

Canarium album
Canarium album leaves and fruit
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Sapindales
Family:	Burseraceae
Genus:	Canarium
Species:	C. album
Binomial name
Canarium album (Lour.) DC.
Synonyms[1]
Canarium album Raeusch. [Invalid] Canarium album Leenh. Canarium tonkinense Engl. Hearnia balansae C.DC. Pimela alba Lour.

Canarium album produces a fruit commonly called Chinese olive or white olive,[3] though it has no relation to Olea; it is consumed in Vietnam (Vietnamese: trám trắng, fruit quả trám), Thailand (where it is known as nam liap (Thai: หนำเลี้ยบ), samo chin (Thai: สมอจีน) or kana (Thai: กาน้า)) and in China (simplified Chinese: 橄榄; traditional Chinese: 橄欖; pinyin: gǎnlǎn).[4]

The pulp of the tree's fruit and its seeds are edible, with a strong resinous flavor when they are fresh. Culinary oil can be extracted from the seed. Preserves can be made with the fruit, both sweet like jam or pickled preserves. In China, a pickle called olive vegetable (simplified Chinese: 橄榄菜; traditional Chinese: 橄欖菜; pinyin: gǎnlǎn cài), made from a mix of Canarium album fruit and mustard greens, is commonly used as a flavoring for congee and fried rice.[5]

Mostly cultivated in Thailand, cultivation has been introduced on a smaller scale to Fiji and northern Queensland in Australia. Its fruit, resin and seed are exported to Europe where they are used in the manufacture of varnish and soap.[6]

Gallery

• 
  Khao phat nam liap dish (with rice) from Thailand
• 
  Hunanese stir-fry of green beans with olive vegetable

References

External links

• Media related to Canarium album at Wikimedia Commons
• Data related to Canarium album at Wikispecies