Gomphia serrata
(Gaertner) Kanis in Taxon 16: 422. 1967, in Blumea 16(1): 53.
1968 & in Steenis, Fl. Males. ser. I. 7: 105. 1972. Meesia serrata Gaertner, Fruct. 1: 344.
t. 70. f. 6. 1788. Gomphia angustifolia Vahl, Symb. Bot. 2: 49. 1791; A.W. Bennett in
Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 1: 525. 1875. G. malabarica DC., Prodr. 1: 736. 1828. Walkeria
serrata Willd. in DC., l.c. Ouratia angustifolia (Vahl) Baillon. ex Laness, Pl. Unit. Col.
Fr. 607. 1886. Ochna angustifolia Kuntze, Rev. Gen. Pl. 1: 106. 1891. O. zeylanica Lam.
Encycl. Meth. 4: 512. 1797.
Kan.: Pundegida; Mal.: Chavakampu, Anai vilavu, Chokatti, Puachetti; Tam.: Gurunda Karpata, Ramanchi.
Shrubs or small trees up to 25 m high. Leaves ovate to obovate-lanceolate, acute to acuminate at apex, tapering towards base, serrate along margins, 6 - 20 x 2 - 5 cm, glabrous; petioles 2 - 6 mm; stipules 3 - 6 mm. Inflorescences many-flowered terminal and axillary cymes; pedicels up to 1 cm long, longer in fruits. Flowers 0.8 - 1.6 cm across. Sepals free, ovate to elliptic, 4 - 6 x 2.5 - 3.5 mm, coriaceous, enlarged in fruit. Petals deciduous, obliquely obovate to broadly spathulate, 4.5 - 7 x 2.5 - 5 mm; yellow creamy or white. Torus ca 1 mm across,larger in fruiting. Stamens 10, subsessile. Ovary deeply 4 - 5-lobed, glabrous; style persistent, 3 - 5 mm, long in fruiting; stigma minute. Fruits ca 8 x 6 mm, smooth, shining.
Fl. & Fr. Almost throughout the year.
Distrib. India: W. Ghats from sea level to 1500 m. Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Sri Lanka & S.E. Asia (Thailand, Cambodia, Sumatra, Malay Peninsula, Java, Philippines, Celebes).
Uses. Wood is used as poles or planks for construction of houses. Decoction of roots and leaves bitter, used as stomachic and anti-emetic tonic. Young branches are used against tooth- ache.
Shrubs or small trees up to 25 m high. Leaves ovate to obovate-lanceolate, acute to acuminate at apex, tapering towards base, serrate along margins, 6 - 20 x 2 - 5 cm, glabrous; petioles 2 - 6 mm; stipules 3 - 6 mm. Inflorescences many-flowered terminal and axillary cymes; pedicels up to 1 cm long, longer in fruits. Flowers 0.8 - 1.6 cm across. Sepals free, ovate to elliptic, 4 - 6 x 2.5 - 3.5 mm, coriaceous, enlarged in fruit. Petals deciduous, obliquely obovate to broadly spathulate, 4.5 - 7 x 2.5 - 5 mm; yellow creamy or white. Torus ca 1 mm across,larger in fruiting. Stamens 10, subsessile. Ovary deeply 4 - 5-lobed, glabrous; style persistent, 3 - 5 mm, long in fruiting; stigma minute. Fruits ca 8 x 6 mm, smooth, shining.
Fl. & Fr. Almost throughout the year.
Distrib. India: W. Ghats from sea level to 1500 m. Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Sri Lanka & S.E. Asia (Thailand, Cambodia, Sumatra, Malay Peninsula, Java, Philippines, Celebes).
Uses. Wood is used as poles or planks for construction of houses. Decoction of roots and leaves bitter, used as stomachic and anti-emetic tonic. Young branches are used against tooth- ache.
