Rhizophoraceae · Bruguiera

Kankra / Orange Mangrove

Bruguiera gymnorrhiza

Tree
Habit
Tree
Found in India
Kerala, West Bengal, Goa & more
Flowering
March-October

Plant Details

Scientific name
Bruguiera gymnorrhiza
Genus
Bruguiera
Habit
Tree
Habitat
Tidal forests
Habitat type
Coastal, Forest
Distribution
India, SE. Asia, Africa, Madagascar, Papua New Guinea, Australia
Found in India
Kerala, West Bengal, Goa, Maharashtra, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu
Flowering & fruiting
March-October
Conservation status
Not Evaluated (NE)

Leaf characters

Leaf shape
EllipticrecordedWidest at the middle, tapering evenly at both ends.The green elliptic leaves are 5–15 cm long. — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Characters marked “recorded” are for Kankra itself; the rest are typical of the Rhizophoraceae family.

Flower & fruit characters

Flower arrangement
SolitaryrecordedA single flower borne alone, not in a cluster.Flowers are solitary, with white or cream petals, that soon turn brown up to 1.5 cm long, pinkish-green to reddish brown calyx. — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Characters marked “recorded” are for Kankra itself; the rest are typical of the Rhizophoraceae family — flowering plants only.

Local Names

Bengali
kankra

About Kankra

Orange mangrove (Bruguiera gymnorrhiza) belongs to the Rhizophoraceae family, where it grows as a tree. In India it has been recorded in Kerala, West Bengal, Goa and 5 other states. It grows in tidal forests. Flowering and fruiting run from March to October.

Uses

Locally it is grown for parts that are eaten, long used in traditional medicine and cut for timber and furniture. Those medicinal uses are traditional attributions, not medical advice. Parts of this plant are reported as poisonous — treat it as unsafe to eat and wash your hands after handling.

Illustration representing the Rhizophoraceae family
Botanical family

Rhizophoraceae

Mangrove Family

Kankra belongs to the Rhizophoraceae family.

The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.

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Common plant problems

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