Description

Mountain Pomegranate is a species of plant in the Olacaceae family. Currently, it is an endangered species that is endemic to India.

Features:

Mountain Pomegranate is an armed shrub or small tree. Spines arise from leaf axil and are straight. Branchlets have soft hair on them. Leaves are 4.5-8 x 1.6-3.5 cm obovate, apex obtuse, base cuneate; hairy along nerves and nerve-axils beneath ; petiole 1-2 cm long. Leaves are oppositely arranged on horizontal branches. Flowers solitary or paired at the ends of arrested branchlets; stalks 5 mm long, smooth, often with small intermediate teeth in between. Flowers white, turning pale yellow ; flower-tube 1-1.2 cm long, narrow, petals 5, spreading, 1 cm long. Stamens 5, inserted on corolla tube. Filaments are short, anthers 2-celled. Fruit is 4x3 cm, ovoid, with persistent calyx like a pomegranate; seeds many. Mountain Pomegranate is found in India, Sri Lanka, SE Asia. It is also found in the Himalayas, up till altitudes of 1600 m. Flowering: May.

Medicinal Uses:

In Ayurveda, various parts of Mountain Pomegranate or Madan phala/Mainphal are used to pacify vitiated pitta and kapha/mucous, and to treat cough, skin diseases, ulcers, asthma, flatulence, colic. The fruit is especially used as a medicine for emesis therapy (treating by inducing vomiting).