Elephant Apple is an evergreen large shrub or small to medium-sized tree
growing to 15 m tall. It is native to southeastern Asia, from India and
Sri Lanka east to southwestern China and Vietnam, and south through
Thailand to Malaysia and Indonesia. The leaves are 15-36 cm long, with a
conspicuously corrugated surface with impressed veins, like potato chips.
The flowers are large, up to 5 inches across, with five white petals and
numerous yellow stamens. Flowers arise solitary at the ends of the twigs,
facing downward. The sepals are rounded and yellowish green. The fruit is
a 5-12 cm diameter aggregate of 15 carpels, each carpel containing five
seeds embedded in an edible pulp. The fruit pulp is used in Indian Cuisine
in curries, jam, and jellies.
Identification credit: Navendu Pāgé
Photographed in Bangalore & Jijamata Udyan, Mumbai.
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The flower labeled Elephant Apple is ...