Goolul
Diospyros lanceifolia

Family: Ebenaceae

What it is like

An evergreen tree. The young shoots are softly hairy. The bark has a smell. The bark is dark or blank and has fine cracks along it. The leaves are in two rows. They are narrowly sword shaped and taper to the tip. The male flowers are in clusters and without stalks. The female flowers occur singly. The fruit are flattened round or oval. They are 2.5 cm across. They are softly hairy.

There are about 485 species of Diospyros mostly in the tropics.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in East India.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, India, Indochina, Laos, Myanmar, Northeastern India, SE Asia, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The ripe fruit are eaten raw. They are sour or salty.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

In NE India plants flowers and fruit April to February.

Its other names

Local names

Chauchi, Dieng-thang, Phaktel, Rujaa, Shiteishi, Siiteishi

Synonyms

Diospyros amoena Wall. ex G. Don; Diospyros grata Wall. ex A. DC.; Diospyros hirsuta Hiern; Diospyros lonchophylla Hiern; Diospyros lucida Wall. ex A. DC.; Diospyros multiflora Wall. ex A. DC [Illegitimate]; Diospyros pachyphylla C. B. Clarke; Diospyros sabtanense Merr.; and others