Antidesma ghaesembilla
Gaertn., Fruct. Sem. Pl. 1: 189, t. 39, f. 5. 1788 (as
'ghesaembilla'); Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 357. 1887, p. p. A. pubescens Roxb., Pl. Coromandel 2:
35, t. 167. 1802. A. paniculatum Roxb. ex Willd., Sp. Pl. ed. 4, 4(2): 764. 1806.
Asm.: Heloch; Beng.: Khudi-jam, Timtoa; Eng.: Black currant tree; Hindi: Umtoa; Kan.:
Pullapurasi-gida; Kon.: Jomdri; Lep.: Chipli; Mar.: Jondhra; Mik.: Theng-merok-arong;
Nep.: Chipli; Or.: Jamula; Sinh.: Buembilla; Tel.: Janupulisaru, Kathupulitsi, Polari, Pulsur;
Urdu: Nuniari.
Shrubs or trees, 1 – 13 (- 20) m tall; branchlets tomentellous, glabrescent in age. Leaves oblong, broadly oblong-elliptic to obovate, rounded to cordate or truncate at base, rounded,obtuse, retuse or apiculate at apex, 2.5 - 14 x 1.5 - 10 cm, chartaceous to subcoriaceous, glabrous or pilose on midrib and lateral nerves above, tomentellous to thinly pilose (at least on nerves) beneath; lateral nerves 3 - 7 pairs; petioles 3 – 25 mm long; stipules linear-lanceolate or subulate, 3 – 8 mm long, deciduous. Male inflorescences terminal and axillary, usually much-branched, 5 - 15 cm long. Flowers sessile, 2 – 3 mm across; calyx deeply lobed, ca 1.2 x 1 - 2 mm; lobes 4 or 5 (- 7), deltoid-ovate, ca 0.8 x 0.5 mm; disc glands 4 – 6-lobed, free, interstaminal, obconical, ca 0.3 x 0.5 mm; stamens 4 or 5 (- 7), 1 - 2 mm long; anther-thecae ca 0.3 mm across; pistillode obconic, pubescent. Female inflorescences terminal and axillary, branched, 6 - 10 cm long. Flowers: pedicels ca 1 mm long; calyx 1 - 1.5 x 1.5 - 2 mm; lobes elliptic, ovate to linear-oblong, 0.8 - 1 x 0.2 - 0.6 mm; ovary ellipsoid to oblong-ellipsoid, often oblique, 1 - 1.5 x 0.5 - 1 mm, tomentose; styles subterminal, 0.5 - 1 mm long. Fruits subglobose, ca 8 mm across, fleshy, compressed-orbicular and 4 - 6 x 3 - 5 mm when dry, glabrous, alveolate, 1-seeded; style terminal; fruiting pedicels 1 - 1.5 mm long.
Fl. & Fr. Oct. - June.
Distrib. India: Common in deciduous forests or scrubs, often along riverbanks, up to 1400 m altitude. Throughout the country. Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Nagaland, Tripura, Orissa, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan to Myanmar, S. China, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand and throughout Malesia up to N. Australia.
Uses. The leaves are acidic and edible, often used for flavouring. Poultice of leaves employed for abdominal swelling and headache. The fruits are also acidic and edible. The wood is useful for construction of houses as light rafters.
Shrubs or trees, 1 – 13 (- 20) m tall; branchlets tomentellous, glabrescent in age. Leaves oblong, broadly oblong-elliptic to obovate, rounded to cordate or truncate at base, rounded,obtuse, retuse or apiculate at apex, 2.5 - 14 x 1.5 - 10 cm, chartaceous to subcoriaceous, glabrous or pilose on midrib and lateral nerves above, tomentellous to thinly pilose (at least on nerves) beneath; lateral nerves 3 - 7 pairs; petioles 3 – 25 mm long; stipules linear-lanceolate or subulate, 3 – 8 mm long, deciduous. Male inflorescences terminal and axillary, usually much-branched, 5 - 15 cm long. Flowers sessile, 2 – 3 mm across; calyx deeply lobed, ca 1.2 x 1 - 2 mm; lobes 4 or 5 (- 7), deltoid-ovate, ca 0.8 x 0.5 mm; disc glands 4 – 6-lobed, free, interstaminal, obconical, ca 0.3 x 0.5 mm; stamens 4 or 5 (- 7), 1 - 2 mm long; anther-thecae ca 0.3 mm across; pistillode obconic, pubescent. Female inflorescences terminal and axillary, branched, 6 - 10 cm long. Flowers: pedicels ca 1 mm long; calyx 1 - 1.5 x 1.5 - 2 mm; lobes elliptic, ovate to linear-oblong, 0.8 - 1 x 0.2 - 0.6 mm; ovary ellipsoid to oblong-ellipsoid, often oblique, 1 - 1.5 x 0.5 - 1 mm, tomentose; styles subterminal, 0.5 - 1 mm long. Fruits subglobose, ca 8 mm across, fleshy, compressed-orbicular and 4 - 6 x 3 - 5 mm when dry, glabrous, alveolate, 1-seeded; style terminal; fruiting pedicels 1 - 1.5 mm long.
Fl. & Fr. Oct. - June.
Distrib. India: Common in deciduous forests or scrubs, often along riverbanks, up to 1400 m altitude. Throughout the country. Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Nagaland, Tripura, Orissa, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan to Myanmar, S. China, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand and throughout Malesia up to N. Australia.
Uses. The leaves are acidic and edible, often used for flavouring. Poultice of leaves employed for abdominal swelling and headache. The fruits are also acidic and edible. The wood is useful for construction of houses as light rafters.
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