Grewia asiatica

Grewia asiatica, commonly known as phalsa or falsa, is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family Malvaceae. Grewia celtidifolia was initially considered a mere variety of phalsa, but is now recognized as a distinct species. It is a shrub or small tree growing to 8 m tall. The leaves are broadly rounded, 5–18 cm long and broad, with a petiole 1–1.5 cm long. The flowers are produced in cymes of several together, the individual flowers about 2 cm diameter, yellow, with five large (12 mm) sepals and five smaller (4–5 mm) petals. The fruit is an edible drupe 5–12 mm diameter, purple to black when ripe.

Description

A shrub or small tree. It loses its leaves during the year. It grows 4-8 m tall. The bark is rough and grey. The branches are long, slender and drooping. Young branches are covered with hairs. The leaves are alternate. They are simple. The leaves are a broad oval or heart shape. They can be 20 cm long by 16 cm wide. The base is at an angle. They taper to the tip. The edges have coarse teeth. There are some hairs on the top of the leaf and a covering under the leaf. The leaf stalk is 1.5 cm long. The flowering stalks are in the axils of leaves. There are 3-5 stalks with 2-8 flowers clustered in groups. The flowers are yellow. The fruit are small and round and dark blue to almost black when ripe. They are about 2 cm across. They have indistinct lobes. The flesh is soft, fibrous and greenish-white stained a purplish-red. There are 1-2 half round seeds. These are 5 mm across.

Edible Uses

The ripe fruits are eaten raw as a tart dessert, used for pickles, and made into drinks and fermented alcoholic beverages. The gum from the bark is used to clarify sugarcane juice.

Traditional Uses

The ripe fruit are eaten raw. They are tart. The fruit are eaten as a dessert. They are also used for pickles. They are also used to make a drink. They are fermented into alcoholic drinks. Caution: Alcohol is a cause of cancer. The gum from the bark is used to clarify sugarcane juice.

Medicinal Uses

The fruit is astringent and stomachic. It is reported that the unripe fruit alleviates inflammation and is administered in the treatment of respiratory, cardiac and blood disorders, as well as acting to lower fevers A pleasant-tasting sherbet or squash can be prepared from the fruit pulp. It is used as an astringent, stomachic and cooling agent. It is said to allay thirst and burning sensations, remove biliousness, cure inflammation, and treat heart and blood disorders and fevers. The fruit is also good as a remedy against throat troubles. A paste made from the leaves is applied topically as a treatment on pustular eruptions. An infusion of the stem bark is demulcent and febrifuge. It is used as a treatment for diarrhoes, is said to cure urinary troubles and to relieve burning sensations in the vagina. The root bark is used as a remedy for rheumatism. A 50% ethanolic extract of the aerial parts have shown hypotensive activity. An aqueous extract of stem bark is reported to be antidiabetic. An extract of the seed, and also the seed oil have shown antifertility activity. The fruit extract has shown radioprotective activity against lethal doses of gamma irradiation.

Known Hazards

Fermented fruit products contain alcohol, which is a cause of cancer.

Distribution

A tropical plant. Plants can grow in tropical and subtropical conditions. They can stand temperatures of 44°C as well as light frosts. It can tolerate frost when dormant. They require a deep well drained soil with a pH of 5.5-7. They occur at low altitudes in the Philippines in Cagayan, Bataan and the Ilocos regions. It grows in dry and secondary dense forest. It can grow in humid and arid regions. It flowers and fruits best where there is a distinct wet and dry season. It needs a distinct winter and summer climate regime. It can grow on a range of soils but is sensitive to waterlogging. It grows on limestone soils. It can grow in arid places.

Where It Grows

Africa, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Himalayas, India*, Indochina, Laos, Mauritius, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Philippines, Puerto Rico, SE Asia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, USA, Vietnam, West Indies,

Cultivation

Trees are mostly grown from seed. The seeds are taken from fresh fruit. Seedlings are usually transplanted while dormant. It can be grown from cutting using rooting hormone. It can also be grown by air-layering. Budding can also be used. Seeds are sown when freshly removed from the berries. Seeds germinate in 15-20 days. They are best put in a seed bed and transplanted when about one year old. Plants should be pruned each year. They should be cut back to about 1-1.2 m above the ground. Plants in warmer climates are pruned less and grow taller. When plants are pruned hard larger fruit develop but these are of poorer quality. Flowers develop only on the current year's growth. Plants need to be 3-5 m apart. Fruit are picked when ripe. The fruit are very perishable so need to be eaten immediately.

Propagation

Seed - does not require any pre-sowing treatment. Fresh seeds are reported to give minimum germination; they take 15-20 days. Layering Cuttings in open ground give poor results, but under closed conditions, with hormone treatment, they are better.

Other Uses

A good fibre is obtained from the stem bark. It is used for making ropes The mucilaginous extract of the bark obtained after pounding in water is used to clarify sugarcane juice during the preparation of 'gur', the traditional brown sugar made in India. The shoots obtained after annual prunings are used for making quite strong baskets that are used to transport fruit and vegetables. The wood is medium-weight to heavy hardwood with a density of 730-900 kg/cubic m at 15% mc. Heartwood pale grey to pale brown, not sharply differentiated from the sapwood; grain interlocked; texture fine; wood with some silver grain. The wood seasons well, is moderately soft to moderately hard, tough, elastic and moderately strong; it works satisfactorily with hand and machine tools. Non-durable when exposed to the weather or in contact with the ground, but durable for interior use. Under cover, the heartwood is moderately resistant to dry-wood termites. The wood is generally used for small articles where toughness and elasticity are required, such as tool handles, spades, shafts of golf sticks, shoulder poles for carrying small loads, pestles, bows, billiards cues and shingles.

Production

It takes 45-55 days from flowering to fruit maturity. An average of 5-8 kg of fruit per tree each year is normal. The first harvest of fruit are available 13-15 months after planting but it takes 3 years for good fruit production. Harvesting occurs over a period of time requiring several harvests. Ripe fruit will only keep for a few days. In Rajasthan in India fruit are available May to August. Because fruit ripen at different times, regular pickings are needed. Fruit mature 60 days after fruit set. One plant can produce 4 kg of fruit. Plants start bearing after 3 years and can produce for 20 years.

Other Information

It is a cultivated food plant. The fruit are sold in markets. Fruit are popular.

Notes

There are about 200 Grewia species. They are mostly tropical. The fruit of most may be edible. These were in the Sparrmanniaceae and the Tiliaceae.

Nutrition

Synonyms

Also Known As

Baruian, Buttiyudippe, Co-ke-a, Darachi, Dhamin, Falsa, Goyalipala, Jana, Malai, Nallajana, Nhaab, Palisa, Parusha, Phalsa, Phalsi, Pharasakoli, Pharsa, Phutiki, Po tao hai, Pophlea thom, Pophlie, Sanjelhei, Shukri, Tadachi, Tadasala, Ya-khithut

References (56)

• Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 250 (As Grewia subinaequalis)
• Arora, R. K., 2014, Diversity in Underutilized Plant Species - An Asia-Pacific Perspective. Bioversity International. p 74 (As Grewia subinaequalis)
• Bajpai, O., et al, 2015, Tree species of the Himalayan Terai region of Uttar Pradesh, India: a checklist. Check List 11(4): 1718
• Bandyopadhyay, S. et al, 2009, Wild edible plants of Koch Bihar district, West Bengal. Natural Products Radiance 8(1) 64-72
• Bandyopadhyay, S., et al, 2012, A Census of Wild Edible Plants from Howrah District, West Bengal, India. Proceedings of UGC sponsored National Seminar 2012 (As Grewia subinaequalis)

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