Polyalthia cerasoides
(Roxb.) Beddome, Fl. Sylv. t. 1. 1869; Hook. f. & Thomson
in Fl. Brit. India 1: 63. 1872. Uvaria cerasoides Roxb., Pl. Corom. 1: 30, t. 33. 1795 & Fl.
Ind. 2: 666. 1832.
Hindi: Kudumi; Kan.: Mabba,· Mal.: Narela,· Or.: Nobiniswaro; Tam.: Kodigilai;
Tel.: Cilukadudduga.
Shrubs or trees, 3 - 15 m tall; bark black or pale grey, lenticellate; young branches minutely rufous-tomentose, glabrous with age. Leaves oblong-lanceolate or lanceolate, acute or rounded at base, acute to acuminate at apex, 8 - 18 x 2.5 - 4 cm, thinly coriaceous, glabrous, dark green and shiny above, glabrescent, puberulous to pubescent beneath; lateral nerves 8 - 12 pairs; petioles 3 - 5 mm long, tomentose. Flowers axillary or extra-axillary, solitary or 2 - 3 fascicled, greenish white, 8 - 13 mm in diam.; pedicels stout, 1.5 - 3 cm long, tomentose; bracts 1 - 2, basal or submedian, leafy, oblong-ovate, acute, 2 - 5 mm long, tomentose. Sepals 3, free, ovate-lanceolate, 5 - 8 x 3 - 4 mm, membranous, appressed hairy outside, glabrous inside. Petals 6 (3 + 3), subequal, thiclly coriaceous; outer petals ovate-oblong, acute, inflexed, 6 - 8 x 4 - 5 mm, puberulous, dirty green; inner ones slightly longer. Stamens numerous, cuneate, ca 1.5 mm long; anther-thecae extrorse, remote; connectives almost flat at top. Carpels many, oblong- linear, 1.5 - 2 mm long, covered with stiff hairs; ovule 1 (-2); stigma clavate, slightly curved. Ripe carpels many, ellipsoid to broadly ovoid, apiculate, ca 1 cm long, ca 5 mm across, glabrous, reddish brown when ripe; stalks slender, 1 - 1.5 cm long. Seed 1, globose.
Fl. April - July; Fr. Sept. - Dec.
Distrib. India: Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.
Notes. Timber used for carpentry and shipping purposes.
Shrubs or trees, 3 - 15 m tall; bark black or pale grey, lenticellate; young branches minutely rufous-tomentose, glabrous with age. Leaves oblong-lanceolate or lanceolate, acute or rounded at base, acute to acuminate at apex, 8 - 18 x 2.5 - 4 cm, thinly coriaceous, glabrous, dark green and shiny above, glabrescent, puberulous to pubescent beneath; lateral nerves 8 - 12 pairs; petioles 3 - 5 mm long, tomentose. Flowers axillary or extra-axillary, solitary or 2 - 3 fascicled, greenish white, 8 - 13 mm in diam.; pedicels stout, 1.5 - 3 cm long, tomentose; bracts 1 - 2, basal or submedian, leafy, oblong-ovate, acute, 2 - 5 mm long, tomentose. Sepals 3, free, ovate-lanceolate, 5 - 8 x 3 - 4 mm, membranous, appressed hairy outside, glabrous inside. Petals 6 (3 + 3), subequal, thiclly coriaceous; outer petals ovate-oblong, acute, inflexed, 6 - 8 x 4 - 5 mm, puberulous, dirty green; inner ones slightly longer. Stamens numerous, cuneate, ca 1.5 mm long; anther-thecae extrorse, remote; connectives almost flat at top. Carpels many, oblong- linear, 1.5 - 2 mm long, covered with stiff hairs; ovule 1 (-2); stigma clavate, slightly curved. Ripe carpels many, ellipsoid to broadly ovoid, apiculate, ca 1 cm long, ca 5 mm across, glabrous, reddish brown when ripe; stalks slender, 1 - 1.5 cm long. Seed 1, globose.
Fl. April - July; Fr. Sept. - Dec.
Distrib. India: Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.
Notes. Timber used for carpentry and shipping purposes.
