Oil bottle gourd, Sandalwood pear
Pyrularia edulis

Family: Santalaceae

What it is like

A medium sized tree. It grows 3-5 m tall but can be 15 m tall. It loses its leaves during the year. The leaves have stalks. The leaves are 5-15 cm long by 1.5-6.5 cm wide. They are oval and taper to the tip. The leaves are round toothed or scalloped towards the tip. Male and female flowers are on separate plants The flowers are yellow. The fruit is fleshy with a hard stone over the seed. It is pear shaped and narrows into a stout stalk.

Where it is found

It is a subtropical plant. In Nepal plants grow between 1600-1800 m altitude. They grow in open, forested areas. In China it grows between 700-2700 m altitude in S China. It grows in subtropical broad-leaved evergreen forest. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Bhutan, China, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, SE Asia, Sikkim

How it is used for food

The ripe fruit are eaten fresh. They are also stewed or stir fried. The seed are also used for extracting edible oil. The sap is used as a substitute for rennet for curdling milk.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed.

Its other names

Local names

A ke ke ran a si, Amphi, Cihadima, Dieng-soh-klong, Kaduhkakan, Liang-lay, Pyabdechu, Safihy, Tan li, Thei-let-ling, Thing-beng, Thlum-zu, Toktur-kung, Yomi

Synonyms

Sphaerocarya edulis Wall. ex Roxb.; Spaerocarya vestita Wall.; Pyrularia sinensis Wu; Pyrularia inermis Chien; Pyrularia bullata Tam.;