Cordia dichotoma

Cordia dichotoma is a species of flowering tree in the borage family, Boraginaceae, that is native to the Indomalayan realm, northern Australia, and western Melanesia.[1] Common names include fragrant manjack, snotty gobbles, cummingcordia, glue berry, anonang, pink pearl, bird lime tree, Indian cherry, Booch (Hindi), लसोड़ा Lasoda Tenti टेंटी, Dela डेला or Gunda (Hindi),ਨਸੂੜੇ (pronunciation Lasoore in Punjabi) Lasura (Nepali) गुंदा (Gunda) in Gujarati and Bhokarभोकर (Marathi). The fruit is known as phoà-pò·-chí (破布子), 樹子仔, or 樹子 in Taiwan.

Cordia dichotoma
Cordia dichotoma leaves in Hyderabad, India
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Boraginales
Family: Boraginaceae
Genus: Cordia
Species:
C. dichotoma
Binomial name
Cordia dichotoma

Description

Cordia dichotoma is a small to moderate-sized deciduous tree with a short bole and spreading crown. The stem bark is greyish brown, smooth or longitudinally wrinkled. Flowers are short-stalked, bisexual, white in colour which open only at night. The fruit is a yellow or pinkish-yellow shining globose which turns black on ripening and the pulp gets viscid.

Habitat and range

Cordia dichotoma is native to China (Fujian, Guangdong Guangxi, Guizhou, southeast Xizang, and Yunnan) the Ryukyu Islands of Japan, Taiwan, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Australia (Northern Territory and Queensland) and New Caledonia.[1] It is a tree of tropical and subtropical regions. It is found in a variety of forests ranging from the dry deciduous forests of Rajasthan to the moist deciduous forests of Western Ghats and tidal forests in Myanmar.

Ecology

The larvae of the butterfly Arhopala micale feed on leaves of C. dichotoma.

Uses

The immature fruits are pickled and are also used as a vegetable fodder. The leaves also yield good fodder. The seed kernel has medicinal properties. It is often cultivated for its fruits throughout the range of its natural distribution.

Symbolism

It is the symbol of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province in Thailand.

A jar of Taiwanese Cordia dichotoma fruits with ginger

References
  1. "Cordia dichotoma". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 2011-04-18.


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