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Polyalthia longifolia
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Family:
ANNONACEAE
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Citation: Polyalthia longifolia (Sonner.) Thw. Enum. Pl. Zeyl. 398. 1864; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 1: 62. 1872; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 16(11). 1915; Manilal & Sivar., Fl. Calicut 28. 1982; Mohanan, Fl. Quilon Dist. 64. 1984; Antony, Syst. Stud. Fl. Kottayam Dist. 58. 1989; Babu, Fl. Malappuram Dist. 7. 1990; Vajr., Fl. Palghat Dist. 49. 1990; M. Mohanan & Henry, Fl. Thiruvanthapuram 48. 1994; Debika Mitra in B. D. Sharma et al., Fl. India 1: 274. 1993; Sasidh. & Sivar., Fl. Pl. Thrissur For. 34. 1996; Sivar. & Mathew, Fl. Nilambur 42. 1997; Sasidh., Fl. Parambikulam WLS 5. 2002; Anil Kumar et al., Fl. Pathanamthitta 49. 2005; M. Mohanan in P. Daniel, Fl. Kerala 1: 166. 2005; Sunil & Sivadasan, Fl. Alappuzha Dist. 77. 2009; Ratheesh Narayanan, Fl. Stud. Wayanad Dist. 103. 2009.
Uvaria longifolia Sonner., Voy. Aux. Indes 2: 233. pl. 131. 1782.
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Malayalam Name(s):
Aranamaram, Ashokam, Cherunna, Choranna
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Tamil name(s):
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English name(s):
Cemetery tree, Mast tree, Telegraph Pole Tree
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Description:
Tall trees, height 15-20 m; internode 2-2.7 cm; bole straight; crown conical; bark 2 cm thick, grayish-brown, smooth; young branches spreading, pendulous, slender, glabrous or sparsely puberulous when young. Leaves simple, alternate, distichous, estipulate; petiole 10-15 mm, pubescent when young, slender; lamina 15-23 x 2-4 cm, ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate; base round; apex acuminate; margin entire, strongly undulate, glabrous, shining above and dull beneath, coriaceous, lateral nerves up to 30 pairs, obscure, pinnate, intercostae reticulate. Flowers bisexual, green; 2.5-3 mm long, numerous, in umbels or fascicles at the axis of fallen leaves; pedicels slender, 2-3 cm long, slightly pubescent; bracts submedian; sepals 3, 4 x 4 mm, ovate-triangular, pubescent, connate at base; petals 6 (3+3), subequal, linear, broad at base, puberulous; outer petals 65 x 2 mm; inner ones 10-25 x 2.5 mm; stamens numerous, cuneate, connective dialated and thickened beyond the cells; carpels many, puberulous, ovoid, style oblong; stigma sessile; ovule one. Fruit aggregate of berries; berry 2.5 x 1.5 cm ovoid to ellipsoid, obtuse at both ends, glabrous, reddish to black; seed one, almost ovoid, smooth or slightly grooved, pale brown, shiny.
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Habit:
Tree
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Flowering & Fruiting:
March-August
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District(s):
All Districts
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Medicinal:
Yes
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Habitat:
Grown as ornamental tree
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Distribution:
Native of Sri Lanka, introduced to many tropical countries
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Aquatic:
No
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Epiphyte(s):
No
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Saprophyte:
No
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Stem parasite:
No
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Root parasite:
No
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Flower colour(s):
Green
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Weed:
No
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Monocot/Dicot:
Dicotyledonous Plants
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Exotic:
Yes
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Garden:
Yes
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Edible:
No
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Vegetable:
No
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Endemic to:
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IUCN status:
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Altitude:
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Localities:
Peechi, Parambikulam, Trivandrum, Aroor
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