Polyalthia suberosa
(Roxb.) Thwaites, Enum. Pl. Zeyl. 398. 1864; Hook. f. &
Thomson in Fl. Brit. India 1: 65. 1872. Uvaria suberosa Roxb., Pl. Corom. 1: t. 34. 1795.
Asm.: Habida-cha, Makhameraphang; Beng.: Barachali, Kukuriam; Or.: Burhichamri, Lohania, Mossu; Sant.: Sandiome; Tel.: Buddadudduga.
Shrubs or small trees, 4 - 6 m tall, branching from base; bark corky, rough, reddish inside; young branches rufous tomentose. Leaves oblong or oblong-lanceolate, slightly narrowed at base, obtuse at apex, 4 - 10.5 x 1.5 - 3.5 cm, glabrous and shiny above, pubescent and pale beneath; petioles 2 - 3 mm long, brown pubescent. Flowers 8 - 10 mm long, greenish yellow, extra-axillary, solitary, rarely in pairs; pedicels slender, 1.5 - 2.5 cm long; bracts 2, one basal and the other at middle of pedicel, ovate, acute, minute, pubescent. Sepals 3, spreading, ovate, acute, ca 2 x 1 mm, pubescent outside, glabrous inside. Petals 6 (3 + 3), reddish brown; outer petals ovate to oblong-lanceolate, acute, slightly reflexed, ca 6 x 4 - 5 cm, thickly coriaceous, silky pubescent outside, glabrous inside; inner ones slightly longer. Stamens numerous, ca 1 mm long; connectives slightly convex at top. Carpels many, ca 2 mm long, pubescent; ovule 1; stigma triangular, flat. Ripe carpels many, subglobose, ca 5 mm across, purple, puberulous; stalks slender, 0.5 - 1 cm long. Seeds 1 - 2, globose, smooth.
Fl. April - May; Fr. Oct. - Dec.
Distrib. India: West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, China, Malaysia and Philippines.
Shrubs or small trees, 4 - 6 m tall, branching from base; bark corky, rough, reddish inside; young branches rufous tomentose. Leaves oblong or oblong-lanceolate, slightly narrowed at base, obtuse at apex, 4 - 10.5 x 1.5 - 3.5 cm, glabrous and shiny above, pubescent and pale beneath; petioles 2 - 3 mm long, brown pubescent. Flowers 8 - 10 mm long, greenish yellow, extra-axillary, solitary, rarely in pairs; pedicels slender, 1.5 - 2.5 cm long; bracts 2, one basal and the other at middle of pedicel, ovate, acute, minute, pubescent. Sepals 3, spreading, ovate, acute, ca 2 x 1 mm, pubescent outside, glabrous inside. Petals 6 (3 + 3), reddish brown; outer petals ovate to oblong-lanceolate, acute, slightly reflexed, ca 6 x 4 - 5 cm, thickly coriaceous, silky pubescent outside, glabrous inside; inner ones slightly longer. Stamens numerous, ca 1 mm long; connectives slightly convex at top. Carpels many, ca 2 mm long, pubescent; ovule 1; stigma triangular, flat. Ripe carpels many, subglobose, ca 5 mm across, purple, puberulous; stalks slender, 0.5 - 1 cm long. Seeds 1 - 2, globose, smooth.
Fl. April - May; Fr. Oct. - Dec.
Distrib. India: West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, China, Malaysia and Philippines.
