Otonephelium stipulaceum (Beddome) Radlk

Otonephelium stipulaceum (Beddome) Radlk

Common name
Malayalam: Paviri mulei.

Description: Evergreen trees up to 20 m tall. Leaves alternate, paripinnate, up to 40 cm long; leaflets opposite or alternate, 4-6 pairs, elliptic or elliptic-oblong, up to 15 x 7.5 cm, subacute at both ends, lowest pair of leaflets unequally reniform, stipuliform. Flowers small, polygamous, in axillary and terminal panicles. The calyx is deeply 5-6-lobed and hirsute. There are no petals. Stamens range from 5 to 9. The fruit is a schizocarp, ellipsoid, measuring up to 3 x 2 cm, and is densely covered with soft, weak, hairy prickles. The seeds are partially covered by a succulent aril.

Flowering & Fruiting : February – August.

Distribution: India: In evergreen forests, up to 1000 m. Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Endemic.

Note: The genus Otonephelium is monotypic and endemic to Western Ghats.