Mimusops elengi L.

Taxonomy: Plantae > Tracheophyta > Equisetopsida > Ericales > Sapotaceae > Mimusops > M. elengi

Description: Evergreen trees, to 20 m high, bark dark grey, cracked or fissured longitudinally, scaly, rough; lenticels vertical; blaze pink with red streaks; exudation white; young branches brown pubescent. Leaves simple, alternate, spiral, stipulate; stipules lanceolate, caducous; petiole 15-40 mm long, slender, grooved above, pubescent; lamina 4-12 x 3.5-7.5 cm; elliptic or elliptic-oblong, base round or obtuse, apex obtuse to acuminate, margin entire, glabrous, coriaceous; lateral nerves many, slightly raised beneath, parallel, slender, looped near the margin forming intramarginal nerves; intercostae reticulate. Flowers bisexual, white, fragrant, 1-3 in axillary fascicles, pedicel 1 cm long; calyx lobes 8 in 2 series of 4 each, thick, outer lanceolate, valvate, pubescent; petals 9 mm long, lobes with 2 dorsal appendages, corolla 1 cm across; lobes 24, 3 series of 8 each, with hairs on back and margins, acuminate; stamens 8, alternating with pilose staminodes; filaments 1 mm, anthers oblong, cordate, 3 mm, connectives apiculate; staminodes lanceolate, acuminate, fimbricate, pilose; ovary 0.1-0.15 cm long, void, hirsute without, 6-8-celled; 1 ovule in each cell; style columnar, 5 mm; stigma minutely fimbricate. Fruit a berry, yellow, ovoid, 2.5 cm long, 1.5 cm across, fleshy, epicarp thin; seeds usually 1, oblong-ellipsoid, laterally compressed.

Flowering and Fruiting : December-August

Uses : Ayurveda, Folk medicine, Sowa-Rigpa, Unani, Siddha. Ripe fruits are eaten, very astringent. The fruit is considered rich in calcium content and have been used as medicine for toothache. Flowers are generally used for gerlands. The whole plant is used as ornamental and shade provider.

Cultivation : Cultivated

References

http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org

https://indiabiodiversity.org