• Family : HERNANDIACEAEA
  (HERNANDIA FAMILY)
• Family (as per The Plant List) : Hernandiaceae
• Species : Gyrocarpus americanus
• Species Name (as per The Plant List) : Gyrocarpus americanus Jacq.
• Common name : Helicopter Tree, Catamaran Wood Tree
• Vernacular name : Zaitun (Hin.); Kaadu Bende (Kan.); Vellaithanukku, Kosuthamugu, Kaathaadimaram (Tam.); Tunuku, Kummara poliki, Poliki (Tel.); Pitela, Sutorono (Ori.)
• Key identification features : A moderate size deciduous tree that grows to about 12 m in height with a smooth, shining, greenish-white bark. The leaves are ovate, rarely irregularly lobed, dark green above and pale grey underneath. They are 3-nerved from the base and often crowded at the branch ends. Inflorescence is large, branched with small greenish-yellow flowers which are unpleasant smelling. Fruit is a woody nut with two long thin wings.
• Habit : Tree
• Flower, Fruit : October-April
• Native : Pantropical
• Comments : Common in dry deciduous forests in rocky areas and on plains to 500 m.
• Conservation Status : Not Evaluated (NE)
• Distribution Locality : Tamil Nadu State; Andhra Pradesh State
• World Distribution : Pantropical
• Literature : J.L.Ellis, 1990- Flora of Nallamalais Vol. 2; H.O. Saxena & M. Brahmam, 1995- Flora of Orissa Vol. 3 ; R. S. Rao et al., 1986 - Flora of West Godavari District ; R. S. Rao and S. H. Sreeramulu, 1986 - Flora of Srikakulam District; H. O. Saxena and M. Brahmam, 1989 - The Flora of Similipal, Orissa; Matthew, K.M., The Flora of Tamil Nadu Carnatic, Vol.3 (2). Diocesan Press, Madras. 1983.
• Citation : Sankara Rao, K., Arun Singh R., Deepak Kumar, Raja K Swamy and Navendu Page (2016). Digital Flora of Eastern Ghats. http://easternghats.ces.iisc.ernet.in/plants.php?name=Gyrocarpus americanus. Downloaded on 28 April 2024.

Description

Field Images