Gomphandra coriacea Wight, Illustr. 1: 103. 1840. G. polymorpha Wight, Illustr. 1: 103. 1840 (p.p.); Masters in Fl. Brit. India 1: 587.1815. (p.p.).

Shrubs or small trees, ca 5 m tall. Leaves coriaceous, aromatic, variable in shape and size, elliptic or obovate, 3 - 10 x 2 - 4.5 cm, glabrous; midrib prominent on both the surfaces; petioles 0.5 - 1.5 cm long. Inflorescence leaf-opposed or terminal, rarely axillary, few-flowered cymes, flowers rarely solitary; peduncles longer than the petiole. Flowers unisexual, greenish white. Calyx minute. Petals erect, 4 - 5 mm long, connate into a tube, lobes inflexed at apex. In male flowers stamens exserted, free; filaments glabrous or nearly so, linear. In female flowers ovary oblong, glabrous; stigma large, 5-lobed, sessile. Drupes 1 - 1.5 cm long; pericarp pale-yellow; endocarp wrinkled, crowned with remains of the persistent stigma.

Fl. & Fr. : Feb. - June.

Distrib. India: Usually occurring in shola forests of Western Ghats, between 900-1800 m. Tamil Nadu and Kerala (Nilgiris, Anamalais).

Sri Lanka.

RELATED IMAGES