Rourea minor (Gaertner) Leenh. in Fl. Males. Ser. 1, 5: 514. 1958. Aegiceras minus Gaertner, Fruct. 1: 216. t. 46. 1788. Rourea santaloldes Wight & Arn., Prodr. 144. 1834; Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 2: 47. 1876. R. caudata Planchon in Linnaea 23: 419. 1850; Hook.f. Fl. Brit. India 2: 48. 1876. R. commutata Planchon in Linnaea 23: 420. 1850, nom. illeg.; Kanjilal et al. Fl. Assam 2: 2. 1938. R. pulchella Planchon in Linnaea 23: 419. 1850; Hook.f. Fl. Brit. India 2: 48. 1876. R. acuminata Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 2: 48. 1876. R. humilis Blume, Mus., Bot. 1: 262. 1850; Brandis, Indian Trees 211. 1906.

Large lianas or climbing shrubs. Leaves 3 - 11-jugate, glabrous, shining; leaflets oblanceolate or ovate to lanceolate, terminal ones sometimes obovate, 4 - 15 x 2 - 8 cm, apex caudate-acuminate, rarely acute, sometimes slightly oblique, membranous to coriaeeous, smooth and glossy on both sides; base rounded; nerves 4 - 9 pairs, joined near the margin. reticulation inconspicuous. Inflorescence consisting of 1 - 5 panicles or racemes. central one up to 20 cm long, others shorter, many-flowered. glabrous. Sepals broadly ovate to orbicular, 2 - 3.5 mm long, minutely tomentose. Petals oblong. 3 - 6 mm long, glabrous. Stamens pubescent to glabrous. Fruits oblique, ellipsoid to ovoid. 1 - 2.5 x 0.5 - 1.3 cm. mostly acute. Seed 1. with aril.

Fl. & Fr. : Jan. - Dec.

Distrib. India : Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Malesia.

Uses. The branches are used for making ropes. The decoction of roots and wood is used in medicines as bitter tonic, in rheumatism, scurvy, pulmonary complanints, diabetes and as febrifuge. Arils are eaten.

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