Sage-leaved Alangium
Alangium salviifolium

Family: Cornaceae

What it is like

A shrub or tree. It is often straggling. The bark is thick, grey and fibrous. The branches are slender and usually have thorns. The leaves have short stalks. They are entire and vary in shape. They are 8-15 cm long. They are hairy when young. They become smooth on the top surface. The flowers have short stalks. They are small and greenish-white. They have a sweet scent. They occur singly or in clusters along the twigs. There are 5-10 petals that are narrow and hairy. The fruit is a smooth berry. It is green but turns red or black at maturity. It has a single seed. The fruit pulp is sweet but has an unpleasant taste.

There are 17-20 Alangium species. This one is used in medicine. Also put in the family Alangiaceae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in the tropics. In southern China it grows in forests below 1,200 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Andamans, Asia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Comoros, China, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, Pacific, Philippines, SE Asia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The ripe fruit are sweet and edible. The pulp is eaten raw. The kernel of the seed is eaten.

The fruit are especially eaten by children.

Edible parts

Fruit, kernel, seeds, nuts, flowers

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds.

The fruit are available from April to June in India.

Its other names

Local names

Aakna, Aakola, Akar-kanta, Akol, Akola, Alangi, Ankar, Ankol, Ankola, Ankolamu, Ankole, Ankoli, Ankollam, Ankora, Ankota, Ankul, Ankula, Ankulo, Ankura, Ankwal, Ansaroli, Azhingi, Bagh-ankura, Dhala dari, Dhalanga, Irinjil, Onkla, Ooduga, Wait sesatak, Wangerin

Synonyms

Alangium acuminatum Wight ex Steud. [Invalid]; Alangium decapetalum Lam.; Alangium lamarckii Thwaites; Alangium latifolium Miq. ex C.B.Clarke; Alangium mohillae Tul.; Alangium salviifolium subsp. decapetalum (Lam.) Wangerin; Alangium salviifolium subsp. salviifolium; Alangium sundanum var. miqueliana Kurz; Alangium tomentosum Lam.; Grewia salviifolia L.f.; Karangolum mohillae (Tul.) Kuntze; Karangolum salviifolium (L.f.) Kuntze;