Statue of Unity – Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat Rain Forest Ektanagar

Bridelia retusa

Syn. Clutia retusa

IUCN Red List Least Concern (LC)

Local name

  • Spinous Kino Tree (English)
  • Khaja (Hindi)
  • Asana (Sanskrit)

Tree type

Evergreen Deciduous
Family: Phyllanthaceae
18m

Indicated uses

Medicinal Edible Ornamental Avenue Other

Flowering & fruiting

Flowering Fruiting

Key characters

Bridelia retusa bark

Bark

Rigid leathery leaves with straight parallel lateral veins and strong spines on the bark of young stems.

Bridelia retusa leaves

Leaves

Leaf-blade is elliptic-oblong to elliptic-oblanceolate, 10-20 x 4-10 cm, tip somewhat pointed, sometimes blunt, base is rounded or roundly wedge-shaped, margin entire or wavy, thinly leathery, lateral nerves 15-20 pairs.

Bridelia retusa flower

Flower

Flowers are arranged in axillary fascicles and also in fascicles on leafless branches appearing as spikes. The fascicles are either unisexual or bisexual; axes densely puberulous; bracts small, acute; flowers stalked.

Bridelia retusa fruit / seeds

Fruit / Seeds

Fruit is globose, fleshy sweetish drupe, about the size of a pea, purple-black, seated on a hard enlarged calyx. 1 or 2 seeds with fairly thick bony shells.

Bridelia retusa

Did you know?

The bark is rich in tannins and has traditionally been used in the leather tanning industry.

Distribution

World map showing distribution

Indian Subcontinent to S. China and W. Malesia