Flacourtiaceae · Hydnocarpus

Calmogara / Chaulmugra

Hydnocarpus pentandrus

Treeoutdoor
Habit
Tree
Found in India
Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala & more
Flowering
March-August

Plant Details

Scientific name
Hydnocarpus pentandrus
Genus
Hydnocarpus
Habit
Tree
Habitat
Semi-evergreen, deciduous, and moist deciduous forests, also in the plains
Habitat type
Forest
Native to
India
Distribution
India
Found in India
Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Goa
Flowering & fruiting
March-August
Conservation status
Least Concern (LC)

Leaf characters

Leaf arrangement
AlternaterecordedOne leaf per node, arranged in a spiral or zigzag up the stem.Leaves are simple, alternate, carried on 0.7–2.2 cm (0.28–0.87 in) long stalks. — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Simple leaf type
Leaf type
SimplerecordedA single, undivided leaf blade.Leaves are simple, alternate, carried on 0.7–2.2 cm (0.28–0.87 in) long stalks. — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Leaf shape
EllipticrecordedWidest at the middle, tapering evenly at both ends.Leaves are 8 cm–23 cm × 3.5 cm–10 cm (3.1 in–9.1 in × 1.4 in–3.9 in), usually oblong to elliptic-oblong, tip long-pointed, often falling off, base narrow, margin toothed, papery, h — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Toothed leaf margin
Leaf margin
ToothedrecordedA saw-like or jagged edge (serrate or dentate).Leaves are 8 cm–23 cm × 3.5 cm–10 cm (3.1 in–9.1 in × 1.4 in–3.9 in), usually oblong to elliptic-oblong, tip long-pointed, often falling off, base narrow, margin toothed, papery, h — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Leaf surface
GlabrousrecordedSmooth, hairless.Leaves are 8 cm–23 cm × 3.5 cm–10 cm (3.1 in–9.1 in × 1.4 in–3.9 in), usually oblong to elliptic-oblong, tip long-pointed, often falling off, base narrow, margin toothed, papery, h — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Typical of the family

Pinnate venation leaf character
Venation
Pinnate

Characters marked “recorded” are for Calmogara itself; the rest are typical of the Flacourtiaceae family.

Flower & fruit characters

Flower arrangement
RacemerecordedIndividual stalked flowers arranged along a central stem, opening from bottom to top.Its flowers have greenish white petals and are borne in short cymes or racemes, or sometimes appear by themselves in . — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Fruit type
BerryrecordedA fleshy fruit with seeds embedded directly in the pulp, no central stone.Its berries are woody, round, tomentose, about 6–10 cm (2.4–3.9 in) in diameter, and start off black when young but become brown when they mature. — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Typical of the family

Inflorescence
Cyme
Fruit
Berry

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

Local Names

Hindi
चालमोगरा Calmogara, Chalmogra, Chaulmoogra
Tamil
Maravetti, Maravattai, Marotti
Kannada
ಚೌಲ್ಮೂಗ್ರ Chaulmoogra, ಎಣ್ಣೆಮರ yenne mara, Mirolhakai
Malayalam
Kodi, Maravatty, Marotti
Marathi
Kadu Kawath

About Calmogara

Chaulmugra (Hydnocarpus pentandrus) is a tree in the Flacourtiaceae family. In India it has been recorded in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and 2 other states. It grows in semi-evergreen, deciduous, and moist deciduous forests, also in the plains. Flowering and fruiting run from March to August.

Uses

Locally it is long used in traditional medicine, distilled for an aromatic oil and tapped for gum or resin. Those medicinal uses are traditional attributions, not medical advice.

Illustration representing the Flacourtiaceae family
Botanical family

Flacourtiaceae

Flacourtia Family

Calmogara belongs to the Flacourtiaceae family.

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

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