Drypetes bhattacharyae Chakrab. in J. Econ. Taxon. Bot. 7: 453. 1985 (1986), (sphalm. 'bhattacharyai').

Shrubs or trees, 2 - 20 m tall; branchlets glabrous. Leaves narrowly elliptic to oblongelliptic, unequal-sided or sometimes symmetric and acute at base, entire, acuminate or sometimes acute or mucronate at apex, 7 - 28 x 2 - 10 cm, coriaceous, glabrous, glossy; lateral nerves slender, 5 - 15 pairs; petioles 4 - 14 mm long. Inflorescences axillary, few-flowered. Male flowers: pedicels 5 - 10 mm long; sepals 4, orbicular, 5 - 8 x 5 - 7.5 mm; stamens 10 - 12, 4 - 5 mm long; anthers oblong, ca 2 mm long; disc lobulate with the lobes embracing the bases of the filaments. Female flowers: pedicels 5 - 10 mm long; sepals 4, suborbicular, 6 - 8 x 5 - 8 mm; disc annular; ovary globose, 2 - 3 mm in diam., glabrous, bilocular; style 0.2 - 0.4 mm long; stigmas 2, flabellate, 1 - 2 mm across. Fruits subcubically globose or oblong, truncate at apex, unlobed or faintly lobed, 12 - 18 x 10 - 15 mm, bilocular, glabrous.

Fl. & Fr. April - Oct.

Distrib. India: Littoral forests to inland forests along streamsides, on sandy or clayey soil; at low altitudes. Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

Endemic.

Uses. The fruits are sweet and edible.

Notes. The species is very closely allied to D. assamica but distinct in the longer male and female pedicels, the glabrous ovary and fruits, and the presence of minute style subtending the stigmas.