Murraya koenigii

Murraya koenigii (L.)

Family     : Rutaceae

Common Name : കറിവേപ്പില (Mal)

करी पत्ता(Hin)

                                 Curry Leaf (Eng)

     IUCN status          : Least concern (LC) -

Curry Leaf tree is a small or medium sized tree, most famous for its aromatic leaves that provide curry spice. Curry leaves are extensively used in Southern India and Sri Lanka (and are absolutely necessary for the authentic flavour), but are also of some importance in Northern India. It is a small tree, growing 4-6 m tall, with a trunk up to 40 cm diameter. The leaves are pinnate, with 11-21 leaflets, each leaflet 2-4 cm long and 1-2 cm broad. They are highly aromatic. The flowers are small white, and fragrant. The small black, shiny berries are edible, but their seeds are poisonous

Shrubs or small trees. Leaves pinnate, crowded at twig-ends; leaflets 15-25, asymmetrical, oblique, 1.5-4 x 0.8-2 cm, oblong-lanceolate, margin entire, apex acute. Panicles terminal, corymbose, many-flowered. Flowers small, white; pedicels c. 3 mm long. Sepals c. 1 x 1 mm. Petals 5, white, 6-8 x c. 1.5 mm, linear, sparsely glandular, rounded and slightly recurved at apex. Stamens 10, 5 longer than the others; anthers oblong. Ovary c. 1 mm long, globose; stigma capitate. Berry 8-11 mm across, subglobose, purplish-black when ripe; seeds 1or 2, green, globular-ovoid.