Family: Phyllanthaceae
Common Name: Mootipazham
Conservation Status: Rare
Key characters: Medium-sized dioecious trees; Flowers borne on the main trunk, dense towards the base.
A medium evergreen tree. Plants dioecious, 10-15 m high. Flowers red, borne in dense clusters of catkins on the main trunk, almost covering the trunk. Mail flowers remain for 4-5 days, whereas female flowers form dense clusters of fruits which will remain about three months. Ripe fruits red or orange yellow, 1.5 – 2 cm diameter, with pulpy seeds inside. Fruits edible and a staple food for monkeys and turtles. Good for pickling.
Ref: Baccaurea courtallensis (Wight) Muell.-Arg. in DC., Prodr. 15: 459. 1866; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 367. 1887; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 1310(916). 1925; Mohanan & Sivad., Fl. Agasthyamala 599. 2002; Anil Kumar et al., Fl. Pathanamthitta 437. 2005.