"Black Thorn" Durian: Durio zibethinus

Durian (Durio zibethinus) is the edible fruit of several tree species belonging to the genus Durio. There are 30 recognised Durio species, native to Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand; at least nine of which produce edible fruit. Some people regard the durian as having a pleasantly sweet fragrance, whereas others find the aroma overpowering and unpleasant. The persistence of its odour, which may linger for several days, led certain hotels and public transportation services in Southeast Asia to ban the fruit. However, the nineteenth-century British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace described its flesh as "a rich custard highly flavoured with almonds". The flesh can be consumed at various stages of ripeness, and it is used to flavour a wide variety of savoury and sweet desserts in Southeast Asian cuisines. The seeds can also be eaten when cooked.