Dillenia indica

Dillenia indica, commonly known as elephant apple or ou tenga, is a species of Dillenia (Family Dilleniaceae) native to China, India, and tropical Asia. It is found in stony river banks. This species was one of the many first described by Linnaeus in the 10th edition of his Systema Naturae in 1759.

Description

An evergreen tree with a short trunk. It grows to 10-15-30 m high and spreads to 4-10 m across. The bark is rough. It has a dense round crown. The branches are straggling and droop at the end. The leaves are at the ends of branches. The leaves are deeply ribbed. They have teeth around the edge. The leaves are bright dark green. They are 15-25 cm long and 5-10 cm wide, but can be twice that size. The leaves have a bold pattern of sunken veins. The leaf stalk is 2-5 cm long. The flower buds are large and round and look like fruit. The flowers are large and white and 20 cm across. They are cup shaped. The flowers are produced in the upper leaf axils. The flower sepals thicken and cover the fruit to make a round green fruit up to 12 cm across. The seeds are kidney shaped with hairy edges. They are embedded in a glutinous pulp.

Edible Uses

The fruit pulp is sour and used in Indian cuisine in curries, jam (ouu khatta), and jellies. Because it is a main source of food for elephants, monkeys and deer, collection of fruit from the core areas of the forest is prohibited. Commercial sale of the fruit is also prohibited, in an effort to help keep the food-chain system of the forest from dismantling totally. Its branches are used to make good firewood.

Traditional Uses

The fruit can be used for jellies, curries and drinks. It is the fleshy sepals around the fruit that are eaten. They can be pickled. The fruit can be eaten raw. More commonly they are used in curries, especially prawn curries. They can be cooked with lentils. They can be made into jam. They are used for chutney. The sweetened fruit juice makes a cooling drink. The fleshy calyx can be stored for 20 days. The young leaves are eaten.

Medicinal Uses

The fruit is tonic and laxative. It is used in the treatment of abdominal disorders, and is mixed with sugar to be used against coughs. The bark and leaves are astringent. The bark is used as a mouthwash to treat thrush.

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. It suits the tropical lowlands. It prefers rich moist soils. It needs a protected partly shaded position. It is drought and frost tender. They need a temperature above 15°C to grow. It grows in moist evergreen forest. In Papua New Guinea it is an introduced species and grows in coastal areas below about 600 m altitude. In Yunnan in China it grows between 600-1100 m altitude. In XTBG Yunnan. In the Cairns Botanical Gardens. It suits hardiness zones 10-12.

Where It Grows

Africa, Andamans, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central Africa, China, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Ghana, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Philippines, Pohnpei, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Sierra Leone, Sikkim, Singapore, South America, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Thailand, USA, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies,

Cultivation

Plants are normally grown from seed. They can be grown from cuttings and by air layering.

Propagation

Seed - Semi-ripe cuttings

Other Uses

The fruits can be rubbed in water to make a soap. The pulp is used as a hair wash. The leaf juice is applied to the scalp to prevent baldness. The dried leaves are used to polish ivory. The wood ash is added to clay bricks to increase their fire resistance. The light brown sapwood is slightly soft. It is little used. The wood, which is moderately hard and has a durability under water of around 3 years, is sometimes used for house-building or gunstocks.

Production

In NE India fruit are available September to December.

Other Information

Trees are only occasionally seen in coastal areas of Papua New Guinea and they are rarely used for food. The fruit are sold in markets in India. It is a cultivated food plant.

Notes

There are about 60 Dillenia species.

Nutrition

Synonyms

Also Known As

Aitrang, Betta kanigala, Bharija, Bia huo biu, Chalba, Chalita, Chalom, Chalta, Chata, Chatla, Chilta, Chimpuh, Chulta, Dak chan, Girnar, Heigree, Heigri, Hondapara Tree, Indian Dillenia, Ithlang, Jampa, Karambal, Karambel, Karmal, Katmon, Kawr-thin-deng, Kosar, Malampunna, Mandi, Ma-tad, Masan, Masangsi, Ma taad, Mataat, Matad, Matat, Mota-karmal, Olifant, Outenga, Pach-phaley, Panchphal, Peddakalinga, Phamsikol, Phlul vieng, Plou, Plum-plam, Pohon sempur air, Ramphal, Red Beach, Saan-cha-waa, Salam, San, Satikhoi, Sempur chay, Sepulahau, Simpoh, Simpol, Simpor, Simpur, Si pi luo me, So, Soh-kyrbam, Sompa, Taigir, Thabyu, Thaidi, Thaigir, Thapru, Thaudi chi, Uva, Xi shi a di

References (115)

• Abbiw, D.K., 1990, Useful Plants of Ghana. West African uses of wild and cultivated plants. Intermediate Technology Publications and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. p 46
• Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 173
• Anderson, E. F., 1993, Plants and people of the Golden Triangle. Dioscorides Press. p 209
• Arora, R. K., 2014, Diversity in Underutilized Plant Species - An Asia-Pacific Perspective. Bioversity International. p 66
• Baishya, S. Kr., et al, 2013, Survey of Wild Edible Fruits of Dhubri District, Assam, India. Plant Archives Vol 13 (1): 155-158

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