Phaeanthus malabaricus Beddome, Icon. Pl. Ind. Or. t. 76. 1868 - 74; Hook. f. & Thomson in Fl. Brit. India 1: 72. 1872; Mohanan et al. in J. Econ. Tax. Bot. 5: 399, t. 1. 1984.

Shrubs or small trees, 2 - 5 m tall; young parts ferruginous pubescent. Leaves obovate or oblong-lanceolate, more or less cordate at base, caudate-acuminate at apex, 12 - 16 x 3 - 5 cm, glabrous, pubescent only on midrib beneath; lateral nerves 5 - 10 pairs; petioles 3 - 4 mm long, ferruginous. Flowers pale yellow to reddish, ca 1 cm long, solitary or in pairs, extra-axillary or leaf-opposed; peduncles ca 2 cm long; pedicels ca 1 cm long, ferruginous; bracts 2, minute, basal. Sepals 3, valvate in bud, ovate or orbicular, slightly cuneate at base, acute at apex, ca 3 mm long, densely ferruginous pubescent. Petals 6 (3 + 3); outer petals like the sepals, ovate, acute, ca 7 x 4 mm long; inner ones cymbiform, oblong-acute, inflexed, 7 - 10 x 4 - 6 mm, thickly fleshy. Stamens many, less than 1 mm long; connectives truncate at top, not completely covering the anthers. Carpels many, linear-oblong, ca 1.5 mm long, densely pubescent; ovules 1 - 2 on the ventral suture; style club-shaped.; stigma hairy, Ripe carpels 15 - 20, globose, ca 8 mm across, rarely puberulous; stalks ca 5 mm long.

Fl. & Fr. Feb. - May; Fr. July - Sept.

Distrib. India: Evergreen forests of North Kerala.

Endemic, rare.