Sapotaceae

Native: South India

Systematic Position

Kingdom: Plantae

Phylum: Tracheophyta

Class: Equisetopsida

Order: Ericales

Family: Sapotaceae

Common Names

English – Large Leaved Madhuca

Malayalam –   തണ്ടിടിയൻ

Description: A medium to large sized tree reaching about 30m in height. The plant parts have milky latex. The trees have grayish brown, longitudinally fissured and flaky bark. Young shoots, including young leaves, are densely covered with brownish-orange, cottony hairs. The leaves are simple with a size of 20-32cm long and 6-10cm wide and crowded at the tips of branches. Leaves are conical at base and bluntly acute to narrowing at tips. Flowers appear in dense clusters (Fig. 3c) from the axils of fallen leaves or of older leaves. The stalks of flowers, 1.5-2 cm long, are also covered with dense hairs. Sepals are 4, ovate and hairy outside. Fruit is a berry with 1-2 seeds.  

Distribution:  Endemic to the Southern Western Ghats (reported only from Kerala).

Uses: No known uses.