FoI
Mexican Calabash
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Mexican Calabash
E Introduced Photo: Tabish
Common name: Mexican Calabash, Jicaro, Morrito, Winged Calabash • Hindi: कमंडल Kamandal • Kannada: ಸೋರೆಬುರುಡೆಮರ Soreburude mara, ಬಕ್ಕರೆ Bakkare • Tamil: Tiruvottukkay
Botanical name: Crescentia alata    Family: Bignoniaceae (Jacaranda family)
Synonyms: Crescentia trifolia

Mexican Calabash is a low-growing tree with a rounded or spreading crown, commonly seen 3-4 m tall, rarely reaching a height of 12 m. The short bole is up to 50cm in diameter. Leaves are trifoliate, alternate or clustered, with prominently winged leaf-stalks, dark green, up to 8 inches long, leaflets inverted-lanceshaped. Flowers are bell-shaped, solitary, yellow-green to maroon, on short stalk, up to 6 cm or so long. Fruit is cannon ball like, nearly round, sometimes oval, hard-shelled, smooth, green to purple, becoming yellow-green before falling, commonly 4-5 inches in diameter. It is cultivated in India as a small ornamental tree.
Medicinal uses: The fruit is pectoral. The pulp is used particularly in the treatment of colds, and for diseases of the kidneys, A decoction of the leaves is employed as an astringent and antihemorrhagic. It is much used in the treatment of haemoptysis and dysentery.

Identification credit: J.M. Garg Photographed in Garden of Five Senses, Delhi.

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