Elaeocarpus serratus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Elaeocarpus serratus |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Oxalidales |
| Family: | Elaeocarpaceae |
| Genus: | Elaeocarpus |
| Species: |
E. serratus
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| Elaeocarpus serratus |
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Elaeocarpus serratus var. weibelii Zmarzty |
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The Elaeocarpus serratus is a tropical flowering plant that grows into a medium to large tree. It is also known as the Ceylon-olive or Indian-olive. This tree has pretty white flowers and produces fruits that people often eat.
You can find this tree in different parts of the world. It grows naturally in Sri Lanka and southern India. It is also found in areas like Assam, Bangladesh, and other northern parts of the Indian subcontinent. Besides being a source of food, people use this plant for decoration, in religious ceremonies, and in traditional medicine.
Contents
What is the Ceylon-Olive Tree Like?
The Ceylon-olive tree is an evergreen tree. This means it keeps its leaves all year round. It can grow quite tall, from about 15 to 60 meters high. That's like a 5 to 20 story building! It has a wide, spreading top, which is called a crown.
Flowers and Fruits
The flowers of the Ceylon-olive tree are white. They have five petals and many tiny parts called stamens. These flowers grow to their biggest size in the late afternoon. This suggests that they might be pollinated by creatures that are active at night, like moths.
The tree produces smooth, green, oval-shaped fruits. Each fruit is about 2.5 centimeters long. Inside the fruit, there is a hard brown seed. These seeds can take a long time to sprout, sometimes up to two years! The wood of the tree is a light yellowish-white color.
Where Does the Ceylon-Olive Tree Grow?
The Ceylon-olive tree grows in two main areas that are far apart. It is native to southern and southwest India and Sri Lanka. It also grows in a region from Assam in northeast India, all the way to Bangladesh.
Countries where it grows naturally include:
- Sri Lanka
- India (in states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh)
- Bangladesh
This tree has also been introduced to other places, like Réunion and Mauritius, where it now grows naturally.
Where Does it Like to Live?
The Ceylon-olive tree is quite tough and can handle dry weather. It grows best in tropical and subtropical forests. It can also be found in areas where there are some forests mixed with farms and human settlements. It doesn't grow as well in open grasslands or heavily damaged forests.
You can find this tree in important protected areas. These include the Sinharaja Forest Reserve in Sri Lanka. In India, it grows in places like Nameri National Park and Dibru-Saikhowa National Park.
Who Eats the Ceylon-Olive?
The Brown palm civet, a small animal called Paradoxurus jerdoni, likes to eat parts of this tree.
Sadly, the number of Ceylon-olive trees in India is going down quickly. This is partly because too many plants are being harvested, especially for their seeds. Also, the places where they live are being destroyed. Because of this, the tree is considered vulnerable in some parts of India, like Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
Different Names for the Ceylon-Olive
The Ceylon-olive tree has many different names depending on the language and region:
How People Use the Ceylon-Olive Tree
The Ceylon-olive tree is used in several ways. It's a popular ornamental plant, meaning people grow it for its beauty. Its fruits are also widely eaten.
Eating the Fruit
In Sri Lanka, the fruit is very popular. Pickled Ceylon-olives are a common street food. The fruits are rich in starch and sugar. They have small amounts of protein and iron. Some people believe the fruit might help with diarrhea because it can have a constipating effect.
The Karbi people in Assam, India, collect both ripe and unripe fruits from August to October. They often make a sour pickle from the ripe fruits. These fruits are also sold in local markets.
Traditional Uses
Historically, people in India believed the fruit could protect against bad spirits. In recent folk medicine, different parts of the plant have been used to treat various health problems.
For example, in Nepal, some people use the plant in folk medicine and religious practices. They drink juice from the bark to treat jaundice. A paste made from the seed is eaten as a traditional remedy for pneumonia and ulcers.
History of the Ceylon-Olive
The famous Swedish scientist Carl Linnaeus gave the Ceylon-olive its scientific name, Elaeocarpus serratus, in 1753. He is known as the founder of modern biological naming.
