Eugenia calcadensis

Vulnerable as per IUCN Red List (VU)

Eugenia calcadensis Bedd., Fl. Sylv. S. India: cx (1872). (syn: Syzygium calcadense (Bedd.) Chandrash.);

SW. India as per WCSP;

Habit- Small trees up to 7 m tall.

Trunk & Bark- Bark greyish, irregularly large flaky.

Branches and branchlets- Young branchlets terete, minutely fulvous pubescent.

Leaves- Leaves simple, opposite, decussate; petiole 0.8-1.2 cm long, canaliculate, pubescent when young; lamina 3.5-7.5 (-10) x 1-3 cm, obovate-oblanceolate, sometimes elliptic, apex obtuse, base cuneate or attenuate, margin revolute, coriaceous, minutely fulvous pubescent when young and later glabrous, pellucid gland dotted; midrib canaliculate; secondary nerves not prominent, 6-10 pairs; intramarginal nerve present; tertiary nerves obscure.

Inflorescence / Flower- Flowers white, in axillary pairs on short peduncle; pedicel ca. 2.5 cm long.

Fruit and Seed- Berry, ellipsoid or globose, crowned with calyx lobes, fulvous tomentose; seeds 1-2.

Understorey trees in dry evergreen forests, between 300 and 600 m, sometimes extends up to 1100 m.

Endemic to the Western Ghats- eastern slope of Agasthyamalai and Periyar region.

(Attributions- B. R. Ramesh, N. Ayyappan, Pierre Grard, Juliana Prosperi, S. Aravajy, Jean Pierre Pascal, The Biotik Team, French Institute of Pondicherry from India Biodiversity Portal)