Manilkara hexandra

Khirni, Palu, Palai, or Rayan
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Sapotaceae
Genus: Manilkara
Species: M. hexandra
Binomial name
Manilkara hexandra
(Roxb.) Dubard[1]
Synonyms

Mimusops hexandra Roxb. (basionym)[1][2]

Manilkara hexandra is a species in the tribe Sapoteae, in the Sapotaceae family that is native to much of south Asia (China: Hainan and southern Guangxi provinces; the Indian Subcontinent: Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka; Indo-China: Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.[1]

M. hexandra is a slow-growing evergreen tree that grows in tropical and temperate forests. It grows 40 to 80 feet tall and 1 to 3 meters in circumference. The bark is grayish black and rough. The wood is very hard, heavy, and very durable, weighing 70 pounds per cubic foot. The bark colour ranges from dark pink to dark purple. It is used for heavy structural work, gate posts, and big beams.[3]

It is used as rootstock for M. zapota, the latter being grafted on the former, and its fruit is edible.[1]

It is locally known as Khirni tree in Bangladesh and India.[4][5]

It is also called "Palu" (පලු) in Sinhalese or Palai and Rayan.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Ann. Mus. Colon. Marseille ser. 3, 3:9, fig. 2. 1915 GRIN (March 17, 2008). "Manilkara hexandra information from NPGS/GRIN". Taxonomy for Plants. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland: USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Retrieved December 29, 2009.
  2. ↑ Pl. Coromandel 1:16, t. 15. 1795 GRIN (February 11, 2007). "Manilkara hexandra information from NPGS/GRIN". Taxonomy for Plants. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland: USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Retrieved December 29, 2009.
  3. 1 2 Forest Department (1962). Timber and its uses. Sri Lanka.
  4. ↑ http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10722-012-9863-1
  5. ↑ http://www.fruitipedia.com/khirni.htm
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