Elaeocarpus serratus
| Elaeocarpus serratus | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Oxalidales |
| Family: | Elaeocarpaceae |
| Genus: | Elaeocarpus |
| Species: | E. serratus |
| Binomial name | |
| Elaeocarpus serratus Linnaeus, 1753 [1] | |
This is a tropical fruit found in the Indian Subcontinent, Indo-China and South East Asia. It is an ornamental medium sized tree indigenous to Sri Lanka, producing smooth, ovoid green fruits. The fruit has nutritive and medicinal values.
Taxonomy
The botanical name is Elaeocarpus serratus. Classified by Carolus Linnaeus in 1753.[1] Belongs to genus Elaeocarpus and Family Elaeocarpaceae.
Distribution
It is an Asia-tropical fruit tree. Found in India - Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Manipur, Assam and Nepal and Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in the Indian Subcontinent. Also found in Indo-China - Myanmar and Indonesia and Malaysia.[2]
On Sri Lanka the fruit is well known.[3]
Local names
Known as Veralu (වෙරළු) in Sinhala, Veralikkai in Tamil, Kaarakka or Kaara in Malayalam, Jolphai in Assamese, Jalpai in Bengali, Chorphon in Manipur and as Ceylon Olive in English.[3]
Description
It is an ornamental medium sized tree. Bears smooth ovoid green fruits[4] the size of about 2.5 cm long. Recommended varieties are local cultivars (round and oval fruits).[3] It has a brown coloured seed inside the fruit.
Nutritive and medicinal values
The fruits are high in starch and sugar and have low amounts of protein and iron. It may help treat diarrhoea due to its constipating effect.[3].
In Sri Lanka pickled Ceylon Olives are eaten as popular street food.
See also
References
- 1 2 Linnaeus, C. (1753) Species Plantarum, Tomus I: 515
- ↑ National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. (18 August 2011). "Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Online Database].". USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program.
- 1 2 3 4 Department of Agriculture, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, Task Force on Fruits & Fruit Development Board (1997). Tropical Fruits of Sri Lanka. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Sri Lanka. p. 29.
- ↑ M.F.Macmillan (1989). Handbook of Tropical Plants. p. 560.
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