Sonneratia caseolaris  (L.) Engler
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sonneratia caseolaris (L.) Engler 
 


Small evergree tree, upto 8.0 m high, deliquescent branching, woody, erect, branches horizontal, twig slender. 
Pale brown brak, smooth or furrows at maturity 
Much spreading hrozontal roots, pneumatophors, tapering towards the ends, with spony outer surface and secondary grwoth 
Leaves simple, opposite decussate,  cauline, short pedicillate 
Petiole 0.5 cm - 1.0 cm long, flat, glabrous, pale-green or reddish, pulvinous. 
Lamina 8.0 cm - 12.0 cm in length and 4.0 cm - 5.0 cm in broad, ovate-elliptic, entire, unicostate reticulate venation 
Apex becomes acute at young stage but occassionally degenerate at maturity. 
Inflorescence cyme solitary or few flowered on the outer pendulous twig 
Flowers ebracteate, pedicellate 
Pedicel 4.0 - 6.0 cm long showing differentiation of nodes and inter-nodes, jointed, square, pale green 
Flower complete, bisexual, regular 
Calyx tube green with 6 valvate lobes, linear, entire, oblong elliptic, acute, truncate, inferior, valvate green, persistent in fruit 
Petals 6, polypetalous, inferior vestigeal in nature, valvate, linear, entire, acuminate, purple to violet red, exerted but not showy, glabrous, herbaceous deciduous, alternated with calyx teeth 
Stamens numerous, free, showy, fertile, filament 4.0 cm long, soft, pendulous, white above and reddish below 
Carpels 6, syncarpous, superior, ovary cup shaped, green. globose, shinning, flattened, round, locules 20, each with numerous ovules 
Placentation axile, style 1, terminal, generally twice the length of stamens, glabrous, terete. soft, persistent in fruit, after maturity it becomes hard and green 
Fruit a berry, green, stalked, flattened, globose, persistent substending calyx, 5.0 - 8.0 cm in diam. 
Seeds numerous 
Germination epigeal