Muntingia calabura L. | |
Muntingiaceae | |
Thean (Honey) Kai Maram | |
| Botanical Name | Muntingia calabura L. |
| Synonyms | Muntingia rosea. H.Karst. ; Muntingia calabura .var. trinitensis Griseb. |
| Family | Muntingiaceae |
| Common Name | English : Bird's cherry / Tamil : Thean Pazham |
| Distribution | Global : Southern Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and Western South America. Indian : Throughout South India. |
| Description | Small deciduous tree up to 10-15m height, with spreading, nearly horizontal branches. Leaves evergreen, alternate, lanceolate or ovate, long-pointed at the apex, oblique at the base. Inflorescence solitary or cyme. Flowers, small, bisexual, sepals, 5 green, small; petals 5, white, polypetalous, caducous in afternoon. Androecium, stamens many, prominent yellow, last only one day. Fruit round or spherical with red or sometimes yellow, smooth, thin, tender skin and light-brown, soft, juicy pulp, with very sweet, musky, somewhat fig-like flavor, filled with exceedingly minute, yellowish seeds, too fine to be noticed in eating. Fruits contain hundreds of tiny seeds. |
| Flowering Fruiting period | Throughout the year |
| Uses | Timber, fruit edible and ornamental |
| Medicinal Uses | Reduce gastric ulcers, antiseptic, reduce swelling, cure respiratory problems |
| Tamil Name | Thean (Honey) Kai Maram |