1198

 Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl.

Synonym	:	Crataegus bibas Lour.
Family	:	Rosaceae
Local name	:	English- Loquat
Flowering and fruiting period	:	September-January
Distribution	:	China and Japan
Distribution in Kerala	:	Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Wayanad
Habitat	:	Cultivated in the High Ranges
Endemic/Exotic	:	Exotic
Key botanical characters:    Trees up to 8 m high; primary stems erect; secondary stems spreading; young stems stout, white-tomentose; older stems with prominent leaf scars, becoming greyish brown and transversely calloused. Leaves crowded near branch tips, 15-30 x 5-10 cm, oblanceolate to narrowly elliptic, acute, tapering to cuneate or slightly auriculate base, very coriaceous, ± rugose, dark green and glossy above, thinly grey- or brown-tomentose below, serrate at least in upper 1/2 (sometimes obscurely); petiole c. 1.5 cm long, stout; stipules long-triangular, ± attenuate, pilose. Inflorescence of many flowers; pedicels 5-8 mm long, brownish tomentose. Sepals fused for most of length; lobes 2-4 mm long, brown-tomentose. Petals white or ivory, oblong, c. 7-8 x 3-4 mm, shallowly emarginate. Fruit pyriform to broadly ellipsoid-oblong or subglobose, up to 5 x 3.5 cm; yellow, more or less tomentose; flesh sweet.