Pongu / The Poon-Spar
Calophyllum polyanthum
Also known as Poon Tree, Sirpoon Tree
- Habit
- Tree
- Found in India
- Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Meghalaya & more
- Flowering
- June-September
How to identify Pongu
Identify Pongu by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.
- Look for a tree habit.
- Check the distinctive field mark: Many-flowered clusters.
- Confirm leaf arrangement: Opposite.
- Confirm leaf type: Simple.
- Confirm flower colour: White.
- Confirm flower arrangement: Panicle.
- In season, compare flowering and fruiting time: June-September.
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Calophyllum polyanthum
- Genus
- Calophyllum
- Family
- Clusiaceae
- Habit
- Tree
- Habitat
- Evergreen forests
- Habitat type
- Forest
- Native to
- India, China, Malaysia
- Distribution
- Indo-Malesia, China
- Found in India
- Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Meghalaya, Kerala, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam
- Flowering & fruiting
- June-September
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Leaf characters
- Leaf arrangement
- OppositerecordedTwo leaves arise from the stem at the same point, facing each other.“The leaves are simple, opposite, decussate;” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf type
- SimplerecordedA single, undivided leaf blade.“The leaves are simple, opposite, decussate;” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf shape
- Elliptic (widest at middle)recorded
Typical of the family
Characters marked “recorded” are for Pongu itself; the rest are typical of the Clusiaceae family.
Flower & fruit characters
- Flower colour
- Whiterecorded
- Flower arrangement
- PaniclerecordedA branching cluster of clusters.“It bears white flowers, which are fragrant and in panicles.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Fruit type
- DruperecordedA fleshy fruit with a single hard stone/pit enclosing the seed.“The seed is a drupe, ellipsoid, apiculate, 3.7 cm long, one-seeded.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Typical of the family
- Fruit
- Capsule
Characters marked “recorded” are for Pongu itself; the rest are typical of the Clusiaceae family — flowering plants only.
Local Names
- Bengali
- কামদেব
- Tamil
- Pongu
- Kannada
- ಕೂವೆ ಮರ
- Malayalam
- Malampunna, Punnappine, പുന്നപ്പൈൻ
About Pongu
The Poon-spar (Calophyllum polyanthum) is a tree in the Clusiaceae family. In India it has been recorded in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Meghalaya and 4 other states. It grows in evergreen forests. Flowering and fruiting run from June to September.
Clusiaceae
Mangosteen/Garcinia family
Pongu belongs to the Clusiaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
Explore the Clusiaceae familySnap it. Know it.
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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