Litsea ghatica

Litsea ghatica Saldanha, Fl. Karnataka 1: 67 1985. ;

Habit– Trees up to 6 m tall.

Trunk & Bark– Bark smooth, brown.

Branches and Branchlets– Branchlets terete, grey tomentose.

Leaves– Leaves simple, alternate, subverticillate; petiole 1-2.5 cm long, subterete, densely tomentose; lamina 9-34 x 6-13 cm, obovate, apex abruptly acuminate, base cuneate, margin entire, chartaceous, softly tomentose beneath, glabrous above except midrib; midrib raised above; secondary nerves 9-14 pairs; tertiary nerves distantly percurrent.

Inflorescence / Flower– Umbels solitary, 4-5 flowered with tomentose bracts; perianth segments present

Fruit and Seed– Berry, globose, 1 cm across; fruiting perianth tube non-accrescent; seeds 1.

In disturbed evergreen or semi-evergreen forests across, up to 1000 m.

Endemic to the Western Ghats- rare in South and Central Sahyadris.

(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)