Cleistocalyx operculatus

Cleistocalyx operculatus

as seen in Hong Kong Wetland Park
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Myrtales
Family:	Myrtaceae
Genus:	Cleistocalyx
Species:	C. operculatus
Binomial name
*Cleistocalyx operculatus* (Roxb.) Merr.. et Perry, 1937

Cleistocalyx operculatus, also known as C. nervosum (DC.) Kosterm. , Eugenia operculata Roxb., 1832, Syzygium nervossum DC., 1828, Syzygium operculatum (Roxb.) Nied., 1893), is a medium-sized tree of about 10 meters in height with pale brown bark and dull green leaves.

The tree is native to tropical Asia, extending as far north as Guangdong and Guangxi in China and as far south as the Northern Territory of Australia.

Description

The leaves of C. operculatus are elliptical, obovate and glaborous, measuring 7–9 cm in length.

Flowers cluster as greenish white trichomatous pannicles. The blossoms have 4 petals.

The 7–12 cm diameter fruits are ovoid with a concave tip and a wrinkled texture. The fruits turn purplish upon ripening.

Uses

The leaves and buds of C. operculatus are harvested, dried, and brewed as an herbal tea in Vietnam known as "nước vối" with stomachic properties.^[1]

Gallery

Ripen Cleistocalyx operculatus in Nepal
Fruit of C. operculatus in a forest of Panchkhal valley in Nepal
Bark close-up
Flower in May

References

↑ Nguyen, Duong Van. Medicinal Plants of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. Santa Monica, CA: Mekong Printing, 1993.

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 2/15/2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.