Mala-Elengi / Malabar Fringe Tree
Chionanthus mala-elengi subsp. linocieroides
- Habit
- Tree
- Found in India
- Kerala, Tamil Nadu
- Flowering
- January-May
How to identify Mala-Elengi
Identify Mala-Elengi 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: Deeply fringed thread-like petals.
- Confirm flower colour: White.
- In season, compare flowering and fruiting time: January-May.
- In India, compare location records such as Kerala, Tamil Nadu.
- Confirm it sits within the Oleaceae family pattern, then compare close relatives before deciding it is Mala-Elengi.
Plant Details
Leaf characters
- Arrangement
- Opposite
Typical of the Oleaceae family — a field-mark hint, not measured for this exact species.
Flower & fruit characters
- Flower colour
- Whiterecorded
Typical of the family
- Flower symmetry
- Actinomorphic (radially symmetrical)
- Inflorescence
- Panicle
- Fruit
- Drupe
Characters marked “recorded” are for Mala-Elengi itself; the rest are typical of the Oleaceae family — flowering plants only.
Local Names
- Kannada
- ಹರಿಯಾಗೆ Hariyaage, ಮಹೋದಲೆ Mahodale, ಮಾಯಿಸಲೆ
- Malayalam
- മലഇലഞ്ഞി mala-elengi
- Marathi
- हेड्डी heddi
About Mala-Elengi
Malabar Fringe Tree (Chionanthus mala-elengi subsp. linocieroides) belongs to the Oleaceae family, where it grows as a tree. In India it has been recorded in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It grows in semi-evergreen, evergreen and shola forests. Flowering and fruiting run from January to May.
Oleaceae
Olive/Jasmine family
Mala-Elengi belongs to the Oleaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
Explore the Oleaceae 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