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

Phyllanthus acidus

Syn. Averrhoa acida

IUCN Red List Data Deficient (DD)

Local name

  • Star Gooseberry (English)
  • Harfarauri (Hindi)
  • Harpharori (Marathi)

Tree type

Evergreen Deciduous
Family: Phyllanthaceae
9m

Indicated uses

Medicinal Edible Ornamental Avenue Other

Flowering & fruiting

Flowering Fruiting

Key characters

Phyllanthus acidus bark

Bark

Light grey to brownish-grey. Smooth in young trees, becoming slightly rough or fissured with age. Thin bark with numerous lenticels.

Phyllanthus acidus leaves

Leaves

Leaves are compound, 14-25 inches long, crowded at the ends of the branches leaflets 2-3.5 inches long by 1-1.5 inches wide, alternately arranged along the rachis.

Phyllanthus acidus flower

Flower

Flowers are very minute, in short dense spike-like clusters arising from nodules along the branches, like mulberries.

Phyllanthus acidus fruit / seeds

Fruit / Seeds

Fruit is pendulous, in small clusters from the branches, round or slightly flattened at the poles, with shallow or deep ribs (usually 5) 0.75 inch across.

Phyllanthus acidus

Did you know?

The genus name Phyllanthus is derived from Greek words meaning leaf-flower, an allusion to the apparent bearing of flowers on the leaves. The species name acidus is on account of the acidity of the fruit.

Distribution

World map showing distribution

Malay Islands and Madagascar and grown in India