A tropical tree native to South Asia (Schleichera oleosa) whose seeds produce oil used in cooking and whose flowers are used medicinally.
From Sanskrit 'kusuma' meaning 'flower' or 'blossom.' The word entered English through Hindi and refers to this economically important tree species found across India, Sri Lanka, and Southeast Asia.
Kusum oil is packed with omega-9 fatty acids and has been used in traditional Indian medicine for centuries, yet it's almost unknown outside South Asia—a reminder that Western medicine doesn't have a monopoly on useful plant knowledge.
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