Aporosa cardiosperma
(Gaertn.) Merr. in J. Arnold Arbor. 35: 139. 1954; A.M.Schot in
Blumea 40: 451. 1995. Croton cardiospermus Gaertn., Fruct. Sem. Pl. 2: 120, t. 107, f. 11. 1790.
Scepa lindleyana Wight, Icon. Pl. Ind. Orient. 2: 5, t. 361. 1840. Aporosa lindleyana (Wight)
Baill., Etude Euphorb. 645. 1858; Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 349. 1887; Gamble, Fl. Madras 2(7):
1309. 1925 (repr. ed. 2: 916. 1957). A. sphaerocarpa Müll.Arg. in Flora 47: 519. 1864 & in DC.,
Prodr. 15(2): 473. 1866.
Goa: Sali, Salaei; Kan.: Akarkal, Sali, Sarali, Sulla; Kon.: Sal; Mal.: Kotili, Vetti;
Mar.: Ukveti; Sans.: Valaka; Tam.: Vittil, Vettikan.
Trees, 4 – 20 m tall; branchlets glabrous. Leaves elliptic-oblong or broadly ovate-oblong, rounded, obtuse or acute at base, acuminate at apex, entire along margins, 8 – 19 x 3.5 – 9 cm, thinly or often stiff-coriaceous; lateral nerves 7 – 10 pairs; petioles 5 – 20 mm long, glabrous; stipules ovate, ciliate. Male flowers: on 1 – 3.5 cm long inflorescences; calyx 4 (- 6)-lobed; lobes ovate-oblong, 1 – 1.5 x 0.4 – 0.5 mm, glabrous; stamens 2 or 3, 1 – 1.5 mm long. Female flowers: on 5 – 12 mm long racemes or in fascicles; pedicels 3 – 5 mm long; sepals 4, broadly ovatedeltoid to suborbicular, 1.5 – 2 x 1.3 – 1.5 mm, glabrous; ovary fusiform, 2 or 3-locular, 2 – 3 x 2 – 2.5 mm, densely pilose; styles 2 or 3, connate into 1.5 – 2 mm long column, puberulous; stigmas 1 – 2 mm broad. Fruits globose or ovoid, pointed with the persistent style, (7 -) 10 – 15 mm across, thin-walled, smooth, initially puberulous, finally glabrous; fruiting pedicels 5 – 7 mm long; seeds suborbicular, plano-convex, ca 5 mm across.
Fl. & Fr. Feb. – Nov.
Distrib. India: Common in deciduous or evergreen forests, or open rocky grounds, frequently along rivers, up to 1100 m altitude. Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Sri Lanka.
Uses. Frequently planted in Arecanut grooves for leaf-mould. The fruits are edible. A decoction of the root is said to cure jaundice, fever and headache (in Kerala). The timber is useful for building purposes.
Notes. The pedicellate fruits are sufficient to distinguish this species.
Trees, 4 – 20 m tall; branchlets glabrous. Leaves elliptic-oblong or broadly ovate-oblong, rounded, obtuse or acute at base, acuminate at apex, entire along margins, 8 – 19 x 3.5 – 9 cm, thinly or often stiff-coriaceous; lateral nerves 7 – 10 pairs; petioles 5 – 20 mm long, glabrous; stipules ovate, ciliate. Male flowers: on 1 – 3.5 cm long inflorescences; calyx 4 (- 6)-lobed; lobes ovate-oblong, 1 – 1.5 x 0.4 – 0.5 mm, glabrous; stamens 2 or 3, 1 – 1.5 mm long. Female flowers: on 5 – 12 mm long racemes or in fascicles; pedicels 3 – 5 mm long; sepals 4, broadly ovatedeltoid to suborbicular, 1.5 – 2 x 1.3 – 1.5 mm, glabrous; ovary fusiform, 2 or 3-locular, 2 – 3 x 2 – 2.5 mm, densely pilose; styles 2 or 3, connate into 1.5 – 2 mm long column, puberulous; stigmas 1 – 2 mm broad. Fruits globose or ovoid, pointed with the persistent style, (7 -) 10 – 15 mm across, thin-walled, smooth, initially puberulous, finally glabrous; fruiting pedicels 5 – 7 mm long; seeds suborbicular, plano-convex, ca 5 mm across.
Fl. & Fr. Feb. – Nov.
Distrib. India: Common in deciduous or evergreen forests, or open rocky grounds, frequently along rivers, up to 1100 m altitude. Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Sri Lanka.
Uses. Frequently planted in Arecanut grooves for leaf-mould. The fruits are edible. A decoction of the root is said to cure jaundice, fever and headache (in Kerala). The timber is useful for building purposes.
Notes. The pedicellate fruits are sufficient to distinguish this species.
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