Pilkhan / Karal Fig
Ficus tsjakela
- Habit
- Tree
- Found in India
- Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra & more
- Flowering
- January-May
How to identify Pilkhan
Identify Pilkhan 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.
- Confirm leaf arrangement: Alternate.
- Confirm leaf type: Simple.
- Confirm fruit type: Achene.
- In season, compare flowering and fruiting time: January-May.
- In India, compare location records such as Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala and nearby regions.
- Confirm it sits within the Moraceae family pattern, then compare close relatives before deciding it is Pilkhan.
Plant Details
Leaf characters
- Leaf arrangement
- AlternaterecordedOne leaf per node, arranged in a spiral or zigzag up the stem.“=== Leaves === Leaves simple, alternate, spiral;” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf type
- SimplerecordedA single, undivided leaf blade.“=== Leaves === Leaves simple, alternate, spiral;” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf shape
- EllipticrecordedWidest at the middle, tapering evenly at both ends.“lamina to 20 x 8 cm, oblong, elliptic-oblong, apex acuminate, base rounded, coriaceous, margin entire, glabrous and glossy;” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf margin
- EntirerecordedA smooth, unbroken edge with no teeth or notches.“lamina to 20 x 8 cm, oblong, elliptic-oblong, apex acuminate, base rounded, coriaceous, margin entire, glabrous and glossy;” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf surface
- GlabrousrecordedSmooth, hairless.“lamina to 20 x 8 cm, oblong, elliptic-oblong, apex acuminate, base rounded, coriaceous, margin entire, glabrous and glossy;” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Typical of the family
Characters marked “recorded” are for Pilkhan 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.“achenes smooth.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Typical of the family
- Flower symmetry
- Actinomorphic (radially symmetrical)
- Inflorescence
- Catkin
- Fruit
- Drupe
Characters marked “recorded” are for Pilkhan itself; the rest are typical of the Moraceae family — flowering plants only.
Local Names
- Hindi
- पिलखन Pilkhan
- Tamil
- Kal-aal
- Kannada
- ಬೋವಿ Bovi, ಬೋವು Bovu, ಬೋವಿಯ ಮರ
- Malayalam
- Karaal, Kara, Aal
About Pilkhan
Karal Fig (Ficus tsjakela) belongs to the Moraceae family, where it grows as a tree. In India it has been recorded in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra and 2 other states. It grows in moist deciduous forests and deciduous forests. Flowering and fruiting run from January to May.
Moraceae
Fig/Mulberry family
Pilkhan 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 Pilkhan 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