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

Salacia macrosperma

Syn. Salacia oblonga

IUCN Red List Not Evaluated (NE)

Local name

  • Large-seeded Salacia (English)
  • Aanakoranti (Malayalam)

Climber type

Evergreen Deciduous
Family: Celastraceae

Indicated uses

Medicinal Edible Ornamental Avenue Other

Flowering & fruiting

Flowering Fruiting

Key characters

Salacia macrosperma bark

Bark

Stem woody, greyish-brown, fairly smooth when young and becoming rough with age; young branches greenish-brown.

Salacia macrosperma leaves

Leaves

Leaves to 11 x 4 cm, elliptic, acute at apex and base, crenulate; petioles to 8 mm long.

Salacia macrosperma flower

Flower

Flowers many, on large axillary or extra-axillary tubercles; pedicels 5-7 mm long, slender; sepals 1.5 mm long, ovate, acute; petals 2 mm long, ovate, acute, pink.

Salacia macrosperma fruit / seeds

Fruit / Seeds

Fruit a large, globose to ovoid fleshy berry, green when immature and yellowish/orange to reddish at maturity; contains relatively large seeds, embedded in fleshy pulp. Berry 3 cm across, globose.

Salacia macrosperma

Did you know?

The Malayalam prefix Aana means “elephant” or “large,” matching the species name macrosperma, meaning “large-seeded.” It produces striking orange-red, globose fruits up to 3 cm across, each containing a single large, hard seed.

Distribution

World map showing distribution

SW. & S. India, Nicobar Islands