Mimusops elengi L.
| Etymology | Genus | Monkey-faced; somewhat imaginary resemblance of the flower with a monkey |
|---|---|---|
| Species | After the Malabar common name of the plant | |
| Family | Sapotaceae | |
| Synonyms | - | |
| Common Names | Tanjong Tree, Spanish Cherry, Mengkulah, Bullet Wood | |
| Status | Exotic: Casual | |
| Form | Tree | |
| Native Distribution | India, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka | |
Diagnostics:
Mimusops elengi is a short cultivated tree with a very compact crown. It is very easy to confirm its identity from the leaves which have unevenly wavy margins, as well as the prominent light-coloured mid-veins on the underside.
Interesting Facts:
The fruit is said to be edible but astringent in taste (Corner, 1997). Its wood is also known to be the strongest of Indian timber; hence its common name Bullet Wood (Wee, 2003).
The leaves have irregular wavy margins.
The Tanjong Tree have a very compact crown.
The underside have a prominent light-coloured mid-vein.
Flowers are creamy and star-shaped.
Fruits are ovoid and ripen to orange.
References
Corner EJH. (1997) Wayside Trees of Malaya. Volume 2. 4th edition. The Malaysian Nature Society, Kuala Lumpur. 297 pp.Wee YC. (2003) Tropical Trees and Shrubs: A Selection for Urban Planting. Sun Tree Publishing, USA. 392 pp.
Author: Siyang
Posted: 2013-07-21 / Modified: 2017-12-25
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