Common name: Apple Mangrove, Crabapple mangrove
Botanical name: Sonneratia caseolaris Family: Sonneratiaceae (apple mangrove family)
Apple mangrove is a small evergree tree, upto 8.0 m high, numerous
branches, woody, erect, branches horizontal, twig slender. Leaves are about
7 cm long, rounded and opposite each other on the branches. The tips of the
leaves are slightly turned under. Sonneratia alba has white flowers while
Sonneratia caseolaris has red flowers. Sepal tube is green with 6 valvular
lobes. There are 6 red petals, which are overshadowed by long showy, numerous
stamens, which are white, but reddish at the base. Flowers only open for one
night and have an offensive smell. The fruit are large (4 cm wide) green,
leathery berries with a star-shaped base. When ripe, the fruits are eaten raw
or cooked.
Medicinal uses: Fermented fruit juice is said to be useful in
arresting
haemorrhage. The wall of an old fruit is given as a vermifuge. The juice of
half-ripe fruit is used to treat coughs. The juice of the flowers enters into
a compound for treating blood in the urine.
| Photographed in Maharashtra. |
Identification credit: Pravin Kawale
|
ative
