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

Filicium decipiens

Syn. Rhus decipiens

IUCN Red List Least Concern (LC)

Local name

  • Fern Tree (English)
  • Ningal (Tamil)
  • Valmurichcha (Malayalam)

Tree type

Evergreen Deciduous
Family: Sapindaceae
20m

Indicated uses

Medicinal Edible Ornamental Avenue Other

Flowering & fruiting

Flowering Fruiting

Key characters

Filicium decipiens bark

Bark

Grey to dark grey, smooth in young trees, becoming slightly rough and shallowly fissured with age and thin bark with pale inner surface.

Filicium decipiens leaves

Leaves

Leaves are pinnate, leaflets 6-8 pair, smooth, shining, opposite or some alternate, stalkless, linear oblong, 4-6 inches long, with a prominent midrib. Leaf spine has a leafy wing on either side between the leaflets.

Filicium decipiens flower

Flower

Flowers are small, numerous, unisexual, in erect narrow panicles, 6-8 inches long, in leaf axils. Sepals are narrow, smooth, persistent. Petals in male flowers as long as sepals, in female small. Disk is very hairy.

Filicium decipiens fruit / seeds

Fruit / Seeds

Drupe is ovoid, 0.5 inch in diameter, purple shining.

Filicium decipiens

Did you know?

The tree derives its common name “Fern Tree” from its elegant pinnate leaves, which closely resemble the fronds of true ferns.

Distribution

World map showing distribution

South East Ethiopia to Mozambique, Comoros, Madagascar, South West India, Sri Lanka