Breadfruit
Artocarpus altilis
- Found in India
- Kerala, Karnataka, Goa & more
How to identify Breadfruit
Identify Breadfruit by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.
- Check the distinctive field mark: Large starchy round fruit (breadfruit).
- Confirm leaf type: Pinnately compound.
- Confirm leaf shape: Deeply lobed (like a hand).
- Confirm fruit type: Achene.
- In India, compare location records such as Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Tamil Nadu and nearby regions.
- Confirm it sits within the Moraceae family pattern, then compare close relatives before deciding it is Breadfruit.
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Artocarpus altilis
- Genus
- Artocarpus
- Family
- Moraceae
- Found in India
- Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Telangana, Assam, Gujarat, Odisha
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Leaf characters
- Leaf type
- Pinnately compoundrecordedLeaflets are arranged in rows along a central stalk, like a feather.“The large and thick leaves are deeply cut into pinnate lobes.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf shape
- Deeply lobed (like a hand)recorded
- Leaf margin
- LobedrecordedThe edge is divided into rounded or pointed sections that don't reach the midrib.“The large and thick leaves are deeply cut into pinnate lobes.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf surface
- Glabrous (smooth, hairless)recorded
Typical of the family
- Arrangement
- Alternate
Characters marked “recorded” are for Breadfruit itself; the rest are typical of the Moraceae family.
Flower & fruit characters
- Fruit type
- AchenerecordedA small, dry, single-seeded fruit that does not split open.“The ovoid fruit has a rough surface, and each fruit is divided into many achenes, each surrounded by a fleshy perianth and growing on a fleshy receptacle.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Typical of the family
- Flower symmetry
- Actinomorphic (radially symmetrical)
- Inflorescence
- Catkin
- Fruit
- Drupe
Characters marked “recorded” are for Breadfruit itself; the rest are typical of the Moraceae family — flowering plants only.
Local Names
- Sanskrit
- नागदामिनी
- Marathi
- नीरफणस
- Sinhala
- දෙල්
About Breadfruit
Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) belongs to the Moraceae family. In India it has been recorded in Kerala, Karnataka, Goa and 6 other states.
Uses
It is grown for parts that are eaten, cut for timber and furniture and tapped for gum or resin.
In culture
It is treated as sacred and appears in worship and is used as an official or regional emblem.
Moraceae
Fig/Mulberry family
Breadfruit belongs to the Moraceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
Explore the Moraceae familySnap it. Know it.
Point your camera at Breadfruit or any plant and SASYA identifies it instantly — on-device, offline, and private.
Common plant problems
If you are starting from symptoms instead of a diagnosis, use the plant disease symptom checker to narrow the cause before treating.
All plant problem & care guides