Polyalthia longifolia 

Polyalthia longifolia (Sonn.) Thwaites

Family :   Annonaceae


Common Name  :   അരണമരം (MAL) 

    :अशोक (Hin) 

    : False Ashok (Eng)

An evergreen tree with a straight trunk, conical crown and slender drooping branches, about 10-25 m tall. Bark dark grayish brown, branches sparsely puberulous when young, glabrous when mature. Leaves simple, alternate, narrow lanceolate or linear lanceolate, base slightly acute or cuneate, margin wavy or undulate, apex long acuminate, membranous, coriaceous, faintly aromatic, shining dark green, glabrous above, paler glaucous beneath, lateral veins 25-30 on either side of the midrib, impressed above, prominent on the midrib beneath, very slightly on the veins beneath, reticulate veinlets fine and close, petiole pubescent, Flowers bisexual, axillary, solitary or fascicled on very short umbels from axils of fallen leaves, yellowish green, pedicels slender, tomentose, bracts submedian. Sepals 3, broadly ovate or triangular, base connate, apex acute, pubescent. Petals 6, in 2 whorls, valvate, outer petals, slightly narrower than the inner petals, lanceolate, base broad, apex acuminate, yellowish green, fleshy, glabrous inside, inner petals base broader than outer petals. Stamens numerous, anthers broad, adnate. Carpels many, apocarpous, stigma sessile.The fruit is a berry

Distribution:

Found natively in India and Sri Lanka. It is introduced in gardens in many tropical countries around the world. 

Uses: 

The leaves are used for ornamental decoration during festivals. The tree is a focal point in gardens throughout India. Straight long stem used for ship-mast.

Flowering and Fruiting :

April - June