1317

 

 Ardisia solanacea Roxb.

Family	:	Myrsinaceae
Local name	:	Malayalam-  Kuzhimundan, Molakka
Flowering and fruiting period	:	March-August
Distribution	:	Indo-Malesia and West China
Distribution in kerala	:	Palakkad, Kottayam, Malappuram, Kannur, Thrissur, Wayanad, Kozhikkode
Habitat	:	Evergreen forests
Uses	:	Medicinal
Key botanical characters: Trees, to 6 m high; bark brown, smooth. Leaves simple, alternate, . obovate, elliptic-obovate or oblanceolate, apex acuminate or acute, base cuneate, margin entire or obscurely crenate, glabrous, glaucous beneath, coriaceous, gland-dotted; petiole to 10 mm long, stout, glabrous; lateral nerves .parallel, slender, obscure, secondary laterals faint, intercostae obscure. Flowers bisexual, 1.3 cm across, bright pink, in axillary or lateral umbels; . persistent, leathery, twisted to right. Corolla .lobes 5, twisted to right, in bud, 10 x 7 mm, ovate, coriaceous, punctuate. Stamens 5, connivent around style, exserted; filaments short; anthers sagitate, . Ovary superior, globose ., 1-celled; ovules many; style elongate, as long as the corolla lobes; stigma terminal. Fruit a berry 8 mm across, globose, bright red.