krathom (กระท่อม)

Thai. Designation for a 4 to 16 metre high tree with the botanical name Mitragyna speciosa. It is native to Souteast Asia, rich in alkaloids, and belongs to the coffee family Rubiaceae. This tropical evergreen has opioid properties and its dark green, ovate-lanceolate leaves, which undergo different transformations throughout their lifecycle, are used for pain relief in herbal medicine and as a recreational stimulant, which initially landed it on Thailand's list of illicit drugs, until it was removed thereof in August 2021, though it remains a controlled substance in several other countries. The tree bears spiky globular flowers, which are initially green, yet turn deep yellowish to fawn as they mature, and grow in clusters of three at the ends of the branches. In English spelled kratom. 回