Elaeocarpus angustifolius Blume
Family
Elaeocarpaceae
Synonyms
Elaeocarpus ganitrus Roxb., Elaeocarpus sphaericus (Gaertner) K. Schum., Elaeocarpus novoguineensis Warb.
Vernacular Names
|
Malaysia |
Changkan, geniteri, rijaksa (Peninsular). |
|
English |
Bead tree, genitri, Indian oil-fruit. |
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Indonesia |
Jenitri, genitri (Java), ganitri (Bali). |
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Thailand |
Mamun dong (North-eastern), mun dong, mun khom (Northern). |
|
Vietnam |
C[oo]m Has] h[ej]p. |
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Papua New Guinea |
Qozari (Bolinbaneng, Morobe Province). |
Geographical Distributions
Elaeocarpus angustifolius is distributed from India and Nepal through Indo-China to Malaysia, Australia and eastward to Fiji; sometimes cultivated.
Description
Elaeocarpus angustifolius is a large tree which can reach up to 40 m tall. It is usually with thin buttresses that extend up to 6 m from the base and its crown is often partly deciduous.
The leaves are arranged alternate or grouped at the end of pubescent twigs. They are elliptical to obovate, measure 12-17 cm x 4-6 cm, tapering towards base, acute at apex, with finely serrulate margin, 5-15(-20) mm long petiole and early cauducous stipules.
The raceme is borne on the twigs. It is spreading, 6-9 cm long, 12-26-flowered while the pedicel is 9-15 mm long. The sepals measure 8-11 mm x 1-2 mm, pale green or tinged red. The petals are oblong-obovate, measure 12-15 mm x 3-4 mm, divided at the tip into 4-5 lobes while the lobes are subdivided into 3-7 narrow tapering divisions, which are 15-25 in total. They are yellowish or greenish white, about 35 stamens, 1-2 mm long filaments and 4-6 mm long anthers.
The ovary is hairy, 5(-7)-celled and usually with 4 ovules per cell. The drupe is nearly spherical, measures (12-)20 mm x 30 mm, bright blue or purplish, with hard and dense stone, wrinkled to sculptured surface and (1-) 2-5(-7)-seeded.
Ecology / Cultivation
Elaeocarpus angustifolius is commonly encountered in secondary forests, persisting in mature regrowths, from sea level up to 1400 m altitude.
Line Drawing / Photograph
References
- Plant Resources of South-East Asia No.12(2): Medicinal and poisonous plants 2.
