Pink limeberry
Clausena excavata

Family: Rutaceae

What it is like

A shrub 1-2-4 m high. It can be 10 m tall. All parts of the plant are hairy. The leaves have a smell. The leaflets are placed one after another along opposite sides of the stalk. There are 15-31 leaflets. The leaflets have short stalks and are 2.5-7.5 cm long by 0.8-2.5 cm wide. They are clear along the edges. The leaves have round teeth along the edges. They are hairy underneath. The flowers are yellowish. The fruit are oblong. The fruit are in clusters. The fruit contain 3 large seeds.

There are about 23-30 Clausena species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in secondary undergrowth in Indochina. In Nepal it grows to about 500 m altitude. It forms dense stands along roads.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Central America, China, Christmas Island, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, Pacific, Philippines, SE Asia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, West Indies

How it is used for food

The fruit are occasionally used in cooking. The ripe fruit are edible. The leaves are stewed in curries as a spice. The rootstock is powdered and used to flavour local liquor.

It is a popular fruit in some places. It is widely cultivated.

Edible parts

Leaves, fruit, root - flavouring

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed.

Its other names

Local names

Agnijal, Agnijhad, Asanyam, Bagal tikus, Bajetah, Chamar, Chememar, Cherek hitam, Daw-hke, Fia fan, Hrila-sheng, Kantrook khmao'ch, Kemantu hitam, Ki bechetah, Opinjala, Pink wampee,Pokok cherek, Pokok kemantu, Pyin-daw-thein, Pyin-thaw-thein, Saen sok, Sam-sweng, Secherek, Seik-nan, Semeru, Shan huang pi, Sicherek, Tikusan, Whample

Synonyms

Amyris graveolens Buch.-Ham. ex Steud.; Amyris punctata Roxb.; Amyris sumatrana Roxb.; Clausena excavata var. lunulata (Hayata) Tanaka; Clausena javanensis Raeusch. ex DC.; Clausena javensis J. F. Gmel.; Clausena lunulata Hayata; Clausena moningerae Merr.; Clausena punctata (Roxb.) Wight & Arn. ex Steud.; Clausena sumatrana Roxb.) Wight & Arn. ex Steud.; Clausena tetramera Hayata; Cookia anisodora Blanco; Cookia anisum-olens Blanco; Cookia graveolens Wight & Arn.; Cookia punctata Retz.; Gallesioa graveolens M. Roem.; Lawsonia falcata Lour.;