154
Scolopia
crenata (Wight & Arn.) Clos
Synonym : Phoberos crenatus Wight
& Arn.
Family
: Flacourtiaceae
Local Names
: Charalu, Kakkamaram,
Mullukara, Saralamaram
Flowering
and fruiting period:
October – April
Distribution: Indo-Malaysia
Habitat: Evergreen and semi-evergreen forests
IUCN
status:
Data Deficient
Endemic: No
Uses: The
leaves are used for treating musco-skeletal pain. The bark has been shown to
have antimicrobial and antioxidant activity
Key
Characters:
Evergreen trees, to 15 m high, armed
with thorns; bark greyish-brown. Leaves simple, alternate, lanceolate,
elliptic-lanceolate, margin crenate or serrate. Flowers bisexual, white, in
axillary racemes. Sepals 4-6, ovate. Petals 4-6, oblong, glabrous. Stamens
numerous, free. Ovary one celled, few ovuled. Fruit a berry, globose; seeds
few.