Actinodaphne malabarica Balakr

Systematic Classification:

Division    : Angiospermae 
Class       : Dicotyledons
Family      : Lauraceae
Genus       : Actinodaphne
Species     : malabarica

Local Name:

Neyaram, Kambilivirinji, Pattutthalli.

General Information:

Trees, to 18 m high, bark dark grey, smooth, lenticellate; young shoots densely fulvous tomentose. Leaves simple, subverticillate, opposite or subopposite, 7-25 x 2.5-6 cm, elliptic or elliptic-lanceolate, apex acuminate, base acute or attenuate, margin entire, glabrous above, villous beneath, chartaceous; lateral nerves 8-12 pairs, pinnate, slender, prominent, intercostaescalariform, obscure; petiole 7-20 mm long, stout, tomentose. Flowers unisexual, yellowish. Male flowers: in densely tomentose racemes of 2.5 cm long; bracts 10 x 7 mm, orbicular, densely silky brown tomentose; tepals 6, subequal, oblong, obtuse, silky brown tomentose; stamens 9, in 3 rows; filaments 2-galndular, densely hispid; anthers 4-celled, oblong, introrse. Female flowers: staminodes 9, in 3 rows, those of row 3 with 2-glands; ovary half inferior, ovoid, attenuate into the style; stigma dilated. Fruit a berry 7-10 mm across, globose, seated in a perianth cup, red.