Simarouba amara

Simarouba amara Aubl.

Family     :   Simaroubaceae

Common Name  : ലക്ഷ്മിതരു(Mal)

          लक्ष्मी तरु(Hin)

                                  Paradise tree(Eng)

     IUCN status          :   Least concern (LC) -

The tree is well suited for warm, humid, tropical regions. Its cultivation depends on rainfall distribution, water holding capacity of the soil, and sub-soil moisture. It is suited for temperature range of 10 to 40 °C (50 to 104 °F), and can grow at elevations from sea level to 1,000 m (3,300 ft). It grows 40 to 50 ft (12 to 15 m) tall and has a span of 25 to 30 ft (7.6 to 9.1 m). It bears yellow flowers and purple elongated oval fleshy fruits.

Medium sized trees. Leaves alternate, 25-35 cm long, odd pinnate, sometimes even pinnate; leaflets 5-7 pairs, alternate, 5-10 x 1.5-2 cm, oblong or obovate, obtuse to acute at apex, tapering to the base, coriaceous, glossy above, pale beneath; lateral nerves very fine, parallel. Panicles polygamous, terminal, to 30 cm long. Calyx 1.2 mm long, 5-lobed to the middle, lobes ovate, acute. Petals greenish-yellow, 3.5 mm long, oblong, recurved. Disc villous. Stamens 10, alternate staminal filaments shorter. Fruit ovoid, 2.5- 3 cm long, with glossy purple; seed one.