Dilleniaceae

Dillenia indica L.

Classification

Kingdom: Plantae

Divisi: Magnoliophyta

Class: Magnoliopsida

Ordo: Dilleniales

Famili: Dilleniaceae

Genus: Dillenia

Species: Dillenia indica

(USDA Plants, 2019)

Common Name

Elephant Apple

Description

Elephant apple is a very ornamental evergreen tree with a rounded crown, that can grow up to 30 metres tall, though is usually smaller. The bole can be 120cm in diameter, often branching from low down. The plant provides an edible fruit, polish, soap and medicines for the local people. It is often grown in gardens, where it is highly prized for its large, handsome and fragrant flowers, as well as for its edible fruit (Useful tropical, 2019).

Elephant apple (Dillenia indica) belongs to the family Dilleniaceae; is a large,knobby fruit with acidic flavored. Fruit is rounded with a few odd bumps, a little bit  like an elephant’s toe and also served a the  ma in  food  s ource  for  the  wild  elephants.  Thus  it  is  popularly  called  as  elephant apple. This plant is widely used as  herb  by  the  various  tribes  of  entire North  East  along  with Assam  (Sandipan et  al.,  2009).  The  fruits  are  greenish  yellow with a hard and very thick leathery  husk. When  the fruits  are  ripe  it emits  a sourish  smell.  The  fruits  are  eaten  raw and  the  unripe  fruits  are  often  used  for making  pickles.

Elephant apple (Dillenia indica)  belongs to  the  family  Dilleniaceae;  is  a  large, knobby fruit with acidic flavored. Fruit is  rounded with a few odd bumps, a little bit like  an  elephant’s  toe and  also  served  as the  ma in  food  s ource  for  the  wild elephants.  Thus  it  is  popularly  called  as elephant apple. This plant is widely used as  herb  by  the  various  tribes  of  entire North  East  along  with Assam  (Sandipan et  al.,  2009).  The  fruits  are  greenish yellow with a hard and very thick leathery husk. When  the fruits  are  ripe  it emits  a sourish  smell.  The  fruits  are  eaten  raw and  the  unripe  fruits  are  often  used  for making  pickles.Trees, ca 20m; buttressed at base. Leaves 15-40´5-12cm, oblong-lanceolate, elliptic to oblanceolate, base attenuate, apex acute to acuminate, margin serrate-dentate, glabrous above, strigose on nerves beneath; lateral nerves 30-50 pairs, prominent beneath; petioles 2.5-7.5 cm. Flowers 15-20cm across.

It is an evergreen large shrub or small to medium-sized tree growing up to 15 m tall. The leaves are about 15-36 cm long, with a conspicuously corrugated surface with impressed veins. The flowers are large, about 15-20 cm in diameter, with five white petals and numerous yellow stamens. Its characteristic round fruits are large, greenish yellow, have many seeds. The fruit is a 5-12 cm diameter aggregate of 15 carpels, each carpel containing five seeds embedded in a fibrous pulp.

An evergreen tree upto 20 mts in height. Branches generally ascending, often fluted at the base and branchlets marked with v shaped leafscars. Leaves 14 - 30 cm by 7 - 12 cm. Flowers are generally white, sepals broadly ovate, concave & pale green (India Biodiversity, 2019).

Benefit

Ornamental and medicinal Plant.

The fruit is tonic and laxative. It is used in the treatment of abdominal disorder, and is mixed with sugar to be used against coughs. The bark and leaves are astringent. The bark is used as a mouthwash to treat thrush. The fruits can be rubbed in water to make a soap.

The pulp is used as a hair wash.
The leaf juice is applied to the scalp to prevent baldness.
The dried leaves are used to polish ivory.
The wood ash is added to clay bricks to increase their fire resistance.

The light brown sapwood is slightly soft, It is little used.
The wood, which is moderately hard and has a durability under water of around 3 years, is sometimes used for house-building or gunstocks.

Distribution

India and tropical countries

Location at UPI

Zone 3 of UPI Botanical Garden

Other Pict.

Dillenia Philippinensis Rolfe

Classification

Kingdom: Plantae

Divisi: Magnoliophyta

Class: Magnoliopsida

Ordo: Dilleniales

Famili: Dilleniaceae

Genus: Dillenia

Species: Dillenia indica

Common Name

Sempur merah- Indonesia

Katmon

Dillenia bolsteri Merrill

Dillenia catmon Elmer

Dillenia cauliflora Merr.

Dillenia indica Blanco

Dillenia speciosa Blanco

(Katmon Facts, 2019)

Description

Dillenia philippinensis is a densely shrubby, small, evergreen tree branching from quite low down on the bole and growing up to 17 metres tall. The bole is about 60cm in diameter. The plant is harvested from the wild, mainly for its fruit which is used as a food, medicine and hair shampoo. The tree has been planted experimentally in Cuba as a fruit tree.  The tree is very ornamental, with large, showy flowers, but is seldom cultivated. The plant is classified as 'Vulnerable' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013) (Useful Tropical, 2019).

Distribution

Southeast Asia, Philipine

Benefit

A cough syrup is made from the fleshy sepals of the fruit. The fleshy sepals of the fruit are eaten. Recommended for preserves. Fruit - raw or cooked.  The soft, fleshy, green pulp has a flavour somewhat like an apple. Somewhat acid, it makes a refreshing snack when travelling, but it is more commonly cooked. It makes an excellent sauce or jam.

Location at UPI

Zone 2 of UPI Botanical Garden

Other Pict.