Calophyllum inophyllum L.

Calophyllum species are evergreen trees or shrubs, bark smooth, with longitudinal or diamond shaped fissures, inner bark reddish with usually with resinous milky or yellow latex, branches quadrangular or compressed when young, buds puberulous with minute, rusty uniserate hairs, oil glands present in the branches, leaves and other parts. Leaves simple, opposite, decussate, rarely verticellate, lanceolate-obovate to elliptic-oblong, margins entire, apex acute to obtuse, bright, glossy, leathery, subcoriaceous, lateral veins numerous, slender, almost perpendicular to the midrib, translucent latex canals present between the veins, petiolate, exstipulate. Inflorescence axillary or terminal panicles or cymes. Flowers bisexual or rarely polygamous (male & bisexual), pedicel short, bracteoles small, deciduous, perianth lobes 4-8, imbricate, sepals 2-4, decussate in pairs, petals 2-4 or more, imbricate, similar to sepals. Stamens numerous, obscurely fascicled, free or connate, filaments slender, connate at the base, anthers basifixed, yellow or reddish, dehiscing longitudinally. Ovary superior, globose, unilocular, ovule single, anatropus, style long slender, stigma peltate. Fruit indehiscent drupe, ovoid-globose, with thin exocarp, dry mesocarp and stony or spongy endocarp. Seeds 1, ovoid-globose, with large cotyledons, exalbuminous, with oil content.

Flowering class: Dicot Habit: Tree

Flowering and fruiting: December-January

Calophyllum species flowers are complete, bisexual, i.e., with functional male (androecium) and female (gynoecium), including stamens, carpels and ovary, rarely polygamous (male & bisexual. Pollination is entomophilous i.e., by insects, or cleistogamy i.e., by self or allogamy i.e., by cross pollination. Flowering/Fruiting: Almost throughout the year.

Seeds may be dispersed by autochory i.e., self dispersal, zoochory i.e., dispersal by birds or animals, anthropochory i.e., dispersal by humans.

Evergreen trees, spreading, about 10-20 m tall, wood pale reddish brown, bark smooth, brown to grayish brown, with longitudinal diamond or boat shaped fissures, usually with very sticky, clear resinous milky or yellow latex, branches compressed, glabrous when young, internodes about 1-3 cm long, terminal buds plump, tomentose with minute, rusty uniserate hairs, about 4-10 mm long, oil glands present in the branches, leaves and other parts. Leaves simple, opposite, decussate, variable, broadly oblong-obovate to elliptic, about 10-20 x 4-8 cm across, usually broadest near the middle towards the apex side, base rounded or cuneate, margins entire, or very slightly undulate, apex obtuse, retuse or shallow emarginated, bright, glabrous, glossy, shining on both the surfaces, lateral veins many, slender about 5 mm apart, at an obtuse angle with the midrib, prominent beneath, translucent latex canals present between the veins, venation distinct on both sides, petiole stout, glabrous, about 1-1.5 cm long, exstipulate. Inflorescence axillary, terminal, 5-15 flowered, racemes about 5-14 cm long, peduncles slender, about 1 cm long, Flowers bisexual, polygamous, white, fragrant, about 2 cm across, pedicel slender, glabrous, about 1.5-4 cm long, bracts ovate, deciduous, about 3-4 mm long, sepals 4, decussate in pairs, reflexed, biseriate, veined prominently, membranous, outer 2, broadly ovate-orbicular about 5.5-10 x 4.5-7.5 mm across, inner 2, obovate-elliptic, white, petaloid, about 6-9 x 3.5-5 mm across, petals 4, reflexed, obovate-oblong, about 10-16 x 5-10 mm across, but deciduous before anthesis. Stamens 200-350, obscurely fascicled, free, filaments slender, connate at the base, about 5-7 mm long, anthers basifixed, oblong, yellow or reddish, about 1-2 mm across, dehiscing longitudinally. Ovary superior, globose, unilocular, about 1.5-3.5 mm across, ovule single, anatropus, style slender, longer than the stamens, about 5.5-9 mm long, stigma peltate, margins entire or crenulate, about 1-2 mm across. Fruit indehiscent drupe, ovoid-globose, about 2-5 x 2-4 cm across, with thick exocarp, dry mesocarp and stony or spongy endocarp, pulpy, apiculate, yellow when ripe. Seeds 1, ovoid-globose.

Calophyllum species are susceptible to various insect pests, virus and fungi, affecting leaves, fruits and roots.

Notes: In plains along the banks of rivers and sea coasts, Cultivated

In plains along the banks of rivers and mangrove forests, also planted in the parks and roadsides

Laterite soils, near sandy coasts and also cultivated, altitude up to 200 m.

Not evaluated (IUCN).

Medicinal

Used in Ayurvedic, Siddha and folk medicines, for treating eczema, insanity, syphilis and inflamed eyes. “Tacamahaca” gum from wounded bark used as purgative and emetic. Wood is good timber used in construction purposes and making boats etc. Fruits are eaten by squirrels and bats.