Gymnacranthera canarica - Kanara Nutmeg

Kanara Nutmeg is an endangered, endemic tree of Western Ghats. The species is exclusively associated with swampy conditions and habitat destruction seems to be the major threat. The species name canarica alludes to the north Karnataka region called Kanara. It is an evergreen tree up to 25 m tall. Bark is dark brown, warty, blaze reddish brown. Branches are verticillate and right angles to main trunk, young branchlets round, rusty velvety. Sap is reddish from cut end of bark, not profuse. Leaves are simple, alternate, carried on stalks 1-2 cm long, slightly channelled, somewhat velvety when young. Leaf-blade is 11-26 x 4-10 cm, usually narrow oblong or oblong, sometimes lanceshaped, tip abruptly or gradually long-pointed, base usually rounded, sometimes slightly flat, margin entire, leathery, shinning above, glaucous beneath. Midrib is flat above, secondary nerves 7-14 pair. Flowers are unisexual, dioecious. Male flowers are yellowish, in axillary panicles, fulvous velvety. Female flowers are larger, borne in racemes in leaf axils. Capsules are spherical, up to 3.2 cm across, hairless, with one spherical seed, pale brown with laciniate aril. Kanara Nutmeg is endemic to the Western Ghats.