Flacourtia indica (Burm.f.)
Merr., Interpr. Rumph. Herb. Amb. (1917)
Latin for 'from the Indies'.
Synonyms
Flacourtia balansae Gagnep., Flacourtia frondosa Clos,
Flacourtia heterophylla Turcz., Flacourtia lenis Craib, Flacourtia
obcordata Roxb., Flacourtia parvifolia Merr., Flacourtia
perrottetiana Clos, Flacourtia ramontchi Herit., Flacourtia
rotundifolia Clos, Flacourtia sapida Roxb., Flacourtia sepiaria Roxb.,
Flacourtia sepiaria var. frondosa Clos, Flacourtia sepiaria
var. leucophloea Clos, Flacourtia thorelii Gagnep., Gmelina
indica Burm.f., Gmelina javanica Christm., Mespilus silvestris
Burm., Myroxylon decline Blanco, Rhamnopsis sepiaria Rchb.,
Sideroxylon spinosum Willd., Spina spinarum I mas Rumph., Spina
spinarum II femina Rumph., Stigmarota africana Lour., Stigmarota
edulis Blanco
Description
Understorey tree up to 15 m tall and 20 cm dbh. Stem with spines. Stipules
absent. Leaves alternate, simple, penni-to tripli-veined, glabrous, margin toothed.
Flowers ca. 5 mm diameter, placed in short racemes. Fruits ca. 16 mm diameter,
brown, fleshy berry with several seeds.
Ecology
In disturbed or open lowland to sub-montane forests up to 1700 m altitude.
Often along roads and in scrub with sandy to clay soils. Also on limestone.
Uses
Often cultivated for the edible sweet fruits.
Distribution
Tropical to sub-tropical Africa, Asia and West Pacific. In Borneo collected
in Sabah and East-Kalimantan.
