Actinodaphne hookeri

Pisa

ative

Photo: Prashant Awale

Common name: Pisa • Hindi: पीसा Pisa • Marathi: पीसा Pisa • Tamil: Tali • Kannada: ಗಲವಾರ galavaara, ಕಗ್ಗೊಡಗಿನ ಮರ kaggodagina mara, ತುಡಗೆಣಸು tudagenasu, ತೂನಗೆಣಸು toonagenasu, ಹೆಗ್ಗೊಡ್ಡಿಮರ heggoddimara • Oriya: Jharchampa

Botanical name: Actinodaphne hookeri Family: Lauraceae (Laurel family)

Pisa is an evregreen small tree mainly found in Karnataka and Maharashtra. Branchlets and young leaves are dense, soft rusty-velvety or hairy. Mature leaves may be hairless. Leaves are arranged in whorls of 5-8 on the stem. Leaves are ovate or elliptic-lanceolate, fine tipped, hairless or velvety beneath. Nerves 6-8 pair very slender. Male flowers clustered on a short stout peduncle. Fruit is ellipsoid, seated on the much-thickened, nearly bell-shaped, perianth-tube.

Identification credit: Prashant Awale

Photographed at Korigad, Maharashtra.

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