Flueggea leucopyrus

Family: Phyllanthaceae

What it is like

A shrub. It grows 5 m tall. It can have spines 6-14 mm long. It loses its leaves during the year. Plants are separately male and female. The leaves are simple and in clusters on short side shoots. They are 0.7-3.6 cm long by 0.4-2.5 cm wide. The leaf stalks are 3-6 mm long. The flowers are often in clusters in the axils of leaves. There are no petals but 5 or 6 sepals. These are cream or yellow. Flowers are about 1 mm long. The fruit are white berries. They are 4-7 mm long and 6-8 mm wide. They contain 3 seeds.

There are 16 Flueggea species. They grow in the tropics. Also in family Euphorbiaceae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. In tropical Queensland it grows between 350-870 m altitude. In southern China it grows between 1,000-1,400 m above sea level. In Sichuan and Yunnan. Western Rajasthan. It grows on gravelly soil.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia, China, East Africa, Ethiopia, India, Indochina, Middle East, Myanmar, Northeastern India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, SE Asia, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Thailand

How it is used for food

The young shoots and leaves are cooked and eaten as a vegetable. The fruit are eaten raw. The berries are sweet and edible. The seeds are also eaten.

It is a famine food.

Edible parts

Fruit, seed, leaves

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Achal, Ainta, Arg, Bhathi, Bilchuli, Chalanchalota, Challamunta, Chinya-pyu, Girk, Gudahale, Halepan, Hartho, Hebata, Hebeta, Hepata, Hooli, Humri, Kandekuvana, Kareioori, Karkun, Kon-chinya, Maappulanathi, Pamdharphali, Parpo, Petuni, Pichrun, Posheri, Rarata, Rithei, Salepan, Shinwi, Sooli, Tella-pulisara, Tella-pulugudu, Tellapulcheru, Vanuthi, Vellaippulanji, Vorepuvan

Synonyms

Phyllanthus leucopyrus (Willd.) Koenig ex Roxb.; Securinega leucopyrus (Willd.) Muell. Arg.;