Bama / Three-Leaved Caper
Crateva magna
Also known as Garlic Pear Tree
- Habit
- Tree
- Found in India
- Maharashtra, Karnataka, Meghalaya & more
- Flowering
- March-August
How to identify Bama
Identify Bama 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: Pear-shaped fruit (garlic pear tree).
- Confirm leaf shape: Trifoliate (three leaflets).
- Confirm flower colour: White turning yellow/purple.
- In season, compare flowering and fruiting time: March-August.
- In India, compare location records such as Maharashtra, Karnataka, Meghalaya, Assam and nearby regions.
- Confirm it sits within the Capparaceae family pattern, then compare close relatives before deciding it is Bama.
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Crateva magna
- Genus
- Crateva
- Family
- Capparaceae
- Habit
- Tree
- Habitat
- Semi-Evergreen forests, also along river banks
- Native to
- India
- Distribution
- Bangladesh, China, Indo-China, India, Indonesia, Malesia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka
- Found in India
- Maharashtra, Karnataka, Meghalaya, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal
- Flowering & fruiting
- March-August
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Leaf characters
- Leaf shape
- Trifoliate (three leaflets)recorded
Typical of the family
- Arrangement
- Alternate
Characters marked “recorded” are for Bama itself; the rest are typical of the Capparaceae family.
Flower & fruit characters
- Flower colour
- White turning yellow/purplerecorded
Typical of the family
- Flower symmetry
- Actinomorphic (radially symmetrical)
- Inflorescence
- Raceme
- Fruit
- Capsule
Characters marked “recorded” are for Bama itself; the rest are typical of the Capparaceae family — flowering plants only.
Local Names
- Hindi
- बरना Bama
- Bengali
- Tikoshak, বরুন Barun
- Tamil
- Mavilingam, Narvala, Varanam, Maralingam
- Telugu
- Uskiaman, Voolemara, Vulimiri-chettu
- Kannada
- ನೆರ್ವಾಳ Nirvala, Nirvaala
- Malayalam
- ക്രാറ്റേവ മാഗ്ന, Neermathalam
- Marathi
- Katarlingad, वायवर्ण
- Sanskrit
- Varuna
About Bama
Three-leaved Caper (Crateva magna) belongs to the Capparaceae family, where it grows as a tree. In India it has been recorded in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Meghalaya and 6 other states. It grows in semi-Evergreen forests, also along river banks. Flowering and fruiting run from March to August.
Capparaceae
Caper Family
Bama belongs to the Capparaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
Explore the Capparaceae 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