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Elaeocarpus serratus

Elaeocarpus serratus
Elaeocarpus serratus 16.JPG
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Oxalidales
Family: Elaeocarpaceae
Genus: Elaeocarpus
Species: E. serratus
Binomial name
Elaeocarpus serratus
Linnaeus, 1753

This is a tropical fruit found in the Indian Subcontinent, Indo-China and South East Asia. It is an ornamental medium sized tree indigenous to Sri Lanka, producing smooth, ovoid green fruits. The fruit has nutritive and medicinal values.

The botanical name is Elaeocarpus serratus. Classified by Carolus Linnaeus in 1753. Belongs to genus Elaeocarpus and Family Elaeocarpaceae.

It is an Asia-tropical fruit tree. Found in India - Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Manipur, Assam and Nepal and Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in the Indian Subcontinent. Also found in Indo-China - Myanmar and Indonesia and Malaysia.

In Sri Lanka the fruit is well known.

Known as Veralu (වෙරළු) in Sinhala, Veralikkai in Tamil, Kaarakka or Kaara in Malayalam, Jolphai in Assamese, Jalpai in Bengali, Chorphon in Manipur and as Ceylon Olive in English.

It is an ornamental medium sized tree. Bears smooth ovoid green fruits the size of about 2.5 cm long. Recommended varieties are local cultivars (round and oval fruits). It has a brown coloured seed inside the fruit.

The fruits are high in starch and sugar and have low amounts of protein and iron. It may help treat diarrhoea due to its constipating effect..

In Sri Lanka pickled Ceylon Olives are eaten as popular street food.


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