Celastraceae · Lophopetalum

Banati / Spindle Tree

Lophopetalum wightianum

Treeoutdoor
Habit
Tree
Found in India
Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu & more
Flowering
November-July

Plant Details

Scientific name
Lophopetalum wightianum
Genus
Lophopetalum
Habit
Tree
Habitat
Evergreen forests and sacred groves
Habitat type
Forest
Native to
Indo-Malayan
Distribution
Indo-Malesia
Found in India
Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Puducherry
Flowering & fruiting
November-July
Conservation status
Least Concern (LC)

Leaf characters

Leaf shape
Glossy ovalrecorded

Typical of the family

Simple type leaf character
Type
Simple
Toothed margin leaf character
Margin
Toothed
Pinnate venation leaf character
Venation
Pinnate

Characters marked “recorded” are for Banati itself; the rest are typical of the Celastraceae family.

Flower & fruit characters

Inflorescence
Cyme
Fruit
Capsule

Typical of the Celastraceae family — flowering plants only; individual species can differ.

Local Names

Hindi
बनाती banati, balpale, banati
Nepali
बलपले balapale
Tamil
காருக்கா karukka, வெள்ள பலா vella pala, வெள்ளபோலம் vellapolam
Kannada
ಬಲ್ಪಾಲೆ balpaale, ಬೆಲ್ಪಾಲೆ Belpaale, ಬನಾಟೆ banaate
Malayalam
വെമ്പാല vembala, വെണ്‍കടവം venkatavam, വെങ്കൊട്ട venkotta
Marathi
बलफळे balphale, बनाती banati

About Banati

Spindle Tree (Lophopetalum wightianum) is a tree in the Celastraceae family. In India it has been recorded in Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and 4 other states. It grows in evergreen forests and sacred groves. Flowering and fruiting run from November to July.

Illustration representing the Celastraceae family
Botanical family

Celastraceae

Staff-Tree Family

Banati belongs to the Celastraceae family.

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

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Common plant problems

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