Maesa chisia

Family: Primulaceae

What it is like

A shrub. It is 1-2 m tall. Sometimes it grows to 6 m. The branches are angular and brown and scaly. The pith is solid. The leaf stalk is 0.7-1.5 cm long. The leaf blade is oblong and 8.5-14 cm long by 2.5-5.5 cm wide. It is papery. The base is wedge shaped and there are teeth along the edge. The veins are raised underneath the leaf. There are about 10 side veins each side of the main vein. The flowering stalks occur in the axils of leaves on second year branches. They are 1.5-4 cm long. The fruit is round and 3-4 mm across. They are somewhat fleshy.

There are about 200 Maesa species. They are mostly tropical. They are also put in the family Maesaceae. They are also put in the family Myrsinaceae.

Where it is found

A subtropical plant. They grow in sparse forests and shrubby areas on warm sunny hillsides between 600-2200 m altitude in S China. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Himalayas, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, SE Asia, Sikkim, Tibet

How it is used for food

The ripe fruit are eaten. The young shoots and leaves are cooked and eaten as a vegetable.

Edible parts

Leaves, fruit

How it is grown

In Sikkim fruit are available April to August.

Its other names

Local names

Bilaune, Bilouni, Bilount, Dieng-ja-sim, Gangu loda, Gonpuloda, Ja-siet, Purmo-kung, Susi-porma

Synonyms

Maesa prodigiosa C. Chen;