Glochidion zeylanicum
(Gaertn.) A.Juss., Euphorb. Gen. 107, t. 3. 1824; Hook.f., Fl.
Brit. India 5: 310. 1887; Chakrab. & M.Gangop. in J. Econ. Taxon. Bot. 19: 226. 1995. Bradleia
zeylanica Gaertn., Fruct. Sem. Pl. 2: 128, t. 109. 1791. B. nitida Roxb. [Hort. Bengal. 69.1814, nom.
nud.] Fl. Ind., ed. Carey 3: 699. 1832. Glochidion nitidum (Roxb.) Voigt, Hort. Suburb. Calcutt.
153. 1845. Phyllanthus nitidus (Roxb.) Müll.Arg. in Flora 48: 371. 1865 & in DC., Prodr. 15(2):
282. 1866. P. canaranus Müll.Arg., ll. cc. 371. 1865 & 284. 1886. P. zeylanicus (Gaertn.) Müll.Arg.
in DC., Prodr. 15(2): 181. 1866. Glochidion canaranum (Müll.Arg.) Bedd., Forester's Man. 192.
1873.
Asm.: Bam-pani-mudi; Kan.: Banda, Neeru kuku, Savrigidda; Kon.: Araki; Mal.:
Nirvetti; Tam.: Kumbala, Kumbal-maram, Kokkamani-maram; Tel.: Itepulla.
Shrubs or trees, 2 - 6 (-13) m tall, almost entirely glabrous or pubescent. Leaves oblong to
elliptic or broadly so or oblong-lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate or ovate, ovate-oblong, ovateelliptic
to suborbicular, symmetric to asymmetric, cordate, truncate, rounded, obtuse, acute or
unequal at base, apiculate to acuminate or sometimes rounded, obtuse to acute at apex, 5.5 - 26
x 2.5 - 12 cm, pubescent to glabrous, chartaceous to stiffly coriaceous, often glossy; lateral
nerves 4 - 12 pairs; petioles 2 - 8 mm long. Inflorescences mostly supra axillary and pedunculate.
Male flowers: pedicels 5 - 10 mm long; sepals 3 + 2 - 3, oblong, ovate, suborbicular or obovate,
1 - 3 x 0.7 - 2 mm; anthers 3 - 8, 1.2 - 2 mm long. Female flowers: sessile to pedicellate; pedicels
1 - 8 mm long; sepals 3 + 2 - 3, triangular, deltoid, oblong, ovate or suborbicular, 1 - 3 x 0.6 -2.5 mm;
occasionally the calyx cupular and 1.5 - 4 x 2 - 3 mm with 0.3 - 1.5 mm long ovate or deltoid teeth;
ovary subglobose, depressed, 1 - 2.5 mm in diam., 4 - 7-locular, tomentose or glabrous; styles
free, triangular, oblong to linear, 0.3 - 1.2 mm long, connivent to erect or united and columnar,
conical to clavate, 0.5 - 3.5 x 0.5 - 1.2 mm; apical lobes (in case of united styles) 4 - 7, triangular,
linear, oblong or suborbicular, 0.2 - 1 mm long. Fruits sessile to pedicellate, depressed-subglobose,
3 - 8 x 4 - 12 mm, obscurely or shallowly lobed with bilobulate lobes, sometimes unlobed, 4 - 8-
locular, puberulous to glabrous, sometimes with slender irregular ridges on the surface; pedicels
2 - 8 mm long.
India and Sri Lanka to Malesia, 5 varieties in India.
