Durio

Durio is a genus of plants in the family Malvaceae. Several species produce an edible fruit known as durian, the most common species being Durio zibethinus, with eight others producing edible fruit.<ref name=":1" />

Taxonomy

Early works describe Durio sensu lato, which had 30 recognised species, with Durio sensu stricto comprising 24 of them.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite book</ref> The 6 additional species included in Durio s.l. are now considered by some to comprise their own genus, Boschia.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Durio s.s. and Boschia have indistinguishable vegetative characteristics and many shared floral characteristics. The crucial difference between the two is that anther locules open by apical pores in Boschia and by longitudinal slits in Durio s.s.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> These two genera form a clade that is sister to another genus, Cullenia. These three genera together form a clade that is characterised by highly modified (mono- and polythecate, as opposed to bithecate) anthers.<ref name=":0" /> The genus Durio had been placed in the family Bombacaceae, and by other authorities in a smaller family of just seven genera, Durionaceae;<ref name="GRIN" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="APW">Template:Cite web</ref> this is now recognised as the tribe Durioneae.

Durio was included in Bombacaceae because of the presence of monothecate anthers, as opposed to the bithecate anthers common to the rest of the mallows (and angiosperms, in general). However, the first studies to examine mallow phylogeny using molecular data found that the tribe Durioneae should be placed in the subfamily Helicteroideae of an expanded Malvaceae. The authors of these studies hypothesise that monothecate anthers have most likely evolved convergently in Durioneae and in the Malvatheca clade (comprising Malvaceae s.l. subfamilies Malvoideae and Bombacoideae).<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Description

There are 29 recognised species in the genus Durio, but only nine produce edible fruit. D. zibethinus is the only species available on the international market: the other species are sold only in their local regions. The name "durian" is derived from the Indo-Malay word "duri" which refers to the fruit's many protuberances.

Often considered the king of fruits,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> durian is distinguished by its large size, arresting odor, and fearsome thorny husk. The fruit can grow up to 30 centimeters long and 15 centimeters in diameter, and typically weighs one to three kilograms. Its shape ranges from oblong to round, the colour of its husk from green to brown, and its flesh from pale yellow to red, depending on the species.

The edible flesh emits a distinctive odour that is strong and penetrating, even when the husk is intact. The smell, depending on the person, evokes rotting onions, turpentine, or even sewage, yet to others it is welcoming and appetizing. The persistence of the smell has led to its ban in some hotels and public transport in Southeast Asia.

On March 4, 2023, a plane flying from Istanbul to Barcelona was forced to turn back because of the nauseating odour of the tropical fruit, transported in the hold.

Species

Template:Main Plants of the World Online currently (2025) accepts 29 species.<ref name=POWO/> Template:Div col

1. Durio affinis Template:Small
2. Durio beccarianus Template:Small
3. Durio bruneiensis Template:Small
4. Durio bukitrayaensis Template:Small
5. Durio burmanicus Template:Small
6. Durio carinatus Template:Small
7. Durio connatus Template:Small
8. Durio crassipes Template:Small
9. Durio dulcis Template:Small
10. Durio gerikensis Template:Small
11. Durio graveolens Template:Small
12. Durio kinabaluensis Template:Small
13. Durio kutejensis Template:Small
14. Durio lanceolatus Template:Small
15. Durio lissocarpus Template:Small
16. Durio lowianus Template:Small
17. Durio macrantha Template:Small
18. Durio macrolepis Template:Small
19. Durio macrophyllus Template:Small
20. Durio malaccensis Template:Small
21. Durio oblongus Template:Small
22. Durio oxleyanus Template:Small
23. Durio perakensis Template:Small
24. Durio pinangianus Template:Small
25. Durio purpureus Template:Small
26. Durio singaporensis Template:Small
27. Durio testudinarius Template:Small
28. Durio wyatt-smithii Template:Small
29. Durio zibethinus Template:Small

Formerly placed here

1. Boschia griffithii Template:Small (as D. acutifolius Template:Small and D. griffithii Template:Small)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>