Polyalthia fragrans
(Dalz.) Beddome, Fl. Sylv. t. 74. 1871; Hook. f. & Thomson
in Fl. Brit. India 1: 63. 1872. Guatteria fragrans Dalz. in Hooker's J. Bot. Gard. Misc. 3:
206. 1851.
Mal.: Chella, Kodangi, Neduna, Pullarei; Tam.: Nedunar.
Trees, 15 - 25 m tall; bark greenish grey, blotched with white; young branches densely minutely tawny tomentose. Leaves elliptic to oblong-lanceolate, acute or rounded at base, acute to shortly acuminate at apex, 9 - 27 x 3 - 12 cm, glabrous except midrib, pubescent on nerves when young; lateral nerves 16 - 20 pairs; petioles ca 1 cm long, glabrous. Flowers fragrant, greenish yellow, in many-flowered branched cymes from the axils of fallen leaves or on tubercles; peduncles ca 8 mm long; pedicels 1.5 - 2.5 cm long, rufous tomentose; bracts cup-shaped, suborbicular at middle of pedicels, rufous tomentose. Sepals 3, almost orbicular, obtuse, ca 4 x 3 mm, rufous tomentose. Petals 6 (3 + 3), subequal, linear-lanceolate, 1.5 - 2.5 x 0.2 - 0.3 cm, coriaceous, rufous tomentose; inner ones slightly longer. Stamens numerous, cuneate, ca 1 mm long; connectives globose at top. Carpels many, oblong-ovoid, ca 1.5 mm long, slightly curved, strigose; stigma broad, slightly bifid, blunt. Ripe carpels many, obliquely ellipsoid to broadly ovoid, blunt, 3 - 5 x 1.5 - 2 cm, hoary; stalks 2.5 - 5 cm long. Seed 1, orbicular, ovoid.
Fl. Nov. - Jan.; Fr. Mar. - May.
Distrib. India: Evergreen forests, from 500 to 1000 m. Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Endemic.
Trees, 15 - 25 m tall; bark greenish grey, blotched with white; young branches densely minutely tawny tomentose. Leaves elliptic to oblong-lanceolate, acute or rounded at base, acute to shortly acuminate at apex, 9 - 27 x 3 - 12 cm, glabrous except midrib, pubescent on nerves when young; lateral nerves 16 - 20 pairs; petioles ca 1 cm long, glabrous. Flowers fragrant, greenish yellow, in many-flowered branched cymes from the axils of fallen leaves or on tubercles; peduncles ca 8 mm long; pedicels 1.5 - 2.5 cm long, rufous tomentose; bracts cup-shaped, suborbicular at middle of pedicels, rufous tomentose. Sepals 3, almost orbicular, obtuse, ca 4 x 3 mm, rufous tomentose. Petals 6 (3 + 3), subequal, linear-lanceolate, 1.5 - 2.5 x 0.2 - 0.3 cm, coriaceous, rufous tomentose; inner ones slightly longer. Stamens numerous, cuneate, ca 1 mm long; connectives globose at top. Carpels many, oblong-ovoid, ca 1.5 mm long, slightly curved, strigose; stigma broad, slightly bifid, blunt. Ripe carpels many, obliquely ellipsoid to broadly ovoid, blunt, 3 - 5 x 1.5 - 2 cm, hoary; stalks 2.5 - 5 cm long. Seed 1, orbicular, ovoid.
Fl. Nov. - Jan.; Fr. Mar. - May.
Distrib. India: Evergreen forests, from 500 to 1000 m. Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Endemic.
