Bouea oppositifolia
(Roxb.) Meissner, Pl. Vasco Gen. 75, Comment.
55, 1837. Mangifera oppositifolia Roxb. FI. Ind. 2 . 434. 1824. Bouea burmanica
Griffith, Pl. Cantor. 14 . 1841. Hook.f., Fl. Brit India 2: 21. 1876.
Beng.: Meriam, Uriam.
Evergreen trees, up to 30 m tall. Leaves oblong-lanceolate, 6 - 20 x 2 - 6 cm, apex acuminate, base cuneate, entire; petioles 1-2.5 cm long. Panicles 4 - 10 cm long, puberulous. Flowers bisexual, 3 mm across, pedicellate. Sepals 4-lobed; lobes ovate-oblong, 0.7 x 0.5 mm. Petals oblong, 4, 2 x 0.6 mm, keeled on ventral surface. Stamens 4, 0.8 mm long; filaments short; anthers sagittate, mucronate at apex. Disc 4-lobed, 1 mm in diam. Carpel 1 mm long; ovary conical; style short, indistinguishable; stigma obscurely and unequally 3-lobed. Drupes ovoid, 2 - 3 x 1.5 - 2 cm, obliquely compressed, glabrous.
Fl. & Fr. : Dec. - April.
Distrib. India : In forests up to 300 m, sometimes cultivated at higher altitudes. West Bengal (cultivated) and Andaman Islands.
Bangladesh, Myanmar and Malesia.
Uses. Fruits are eaten both fresh and in curry; taste sharply acidic but not disagreeable one.
Evergreen trees, up to 30 m tall. Leaves oblong-lanceolate, 6 - 20 x 2 - 6 cm, apex acuminate, base cuneate, entire; petioles 1-2.5 cm long. Panicles 4 - 10 cm long, puberulous. Flowers bisexual, 3 mm across, pedicellate. Sepals 4-lobed; lobes ovate-oblong, 0.7 x 0.5 mm. Petals oblong, 4, 2 x 0.6 mm, keeled on ventral surface. Stamens 4, 0.8 mm long; filaments short; anthers sagittate, mucronate at apex. Disc 4-lobed, 1 mm in diam. Carpel 1 mm long; ovary conical; style short, indistinguishable; stigma obscurely and unequally 3-lobed. Drupes ovoid, 2 - 3 x 1.5 - 2 cm, obliquely compressed, glabrous.
Fl. & Fr. : Dec. - April.
Distrib. India : In forests up to 300 m, sometimes cultivated at higher altitudes. West Bengal (cultivated) and Andaman Islands.
Bangladesh, Myanmar and Malesia.
Uses. Fruits are eaten both fresh and in curry; taste sharply acidic but not disagreeable one.
