Aporosa cardiosperma

Aporosa cardiosperma
Fruits
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (IUCN 2.3) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Malpighiales
Family:	Phyllanthaceae
Genus:	Aporosa
Species:	A. cardiosperma
Binomial name
Aporosa cardiosperma (Gaertn.) Merr.
Synonyms
A. affinis Baill. A. lindleyana (Wight) Baill. A. sphaerocarpa Müll.Arg.

Aporosa cardiosperma is a species of plant in the family Phyllanthaceae. It is endemic to South-West India and Sri Lanka. The fruit has two seeds covered with sour gelatinous pulp that is fed on by birds (and edible for humans ^[2] ) which disperse the seeds. ^[3] In the Western Ghats of India, the thin stems of the tree are often galled by Cecidomyiidae. An echinate gall formation has also been noted in Kerala. ^[4]

A herbal concoction of the leaves is used in traditional remedies for jaundice and other conditions. Antioxidant and hypoglycemia inducing properties of its extracts have been noted in laboratory studies. ^{[5] [6] [7]}

• 
  Flowers
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  Leaves
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  Tree
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  heart-shaped seed
• 
  ripe fruit

References

1. World Conservation Monitoring Centre (2018). "Aporosa cardiosperma". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T33511A136127071. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T33511A136127071.en . Retrieved 16 November 2021.
2. Hedrick, U.P., ed. (1919). Sturtevant's notes on edible plants. Albany: J.B. Lyon. p. 59.
3. Puyravaud, Jean‐Philippe; Dufour, Céline; Aravajy, Subramanian (2003). "Rain forest expansion mediated by successional processes in vegetation thickets in the Western Ghats of India" . Journal of Biogeography. 30 (7): 1067–1080. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2699.2003.00882.x. ISSN   0305-0270.
4. Saleem, U.K.A.; Nasser, M. (2015-07-03). "Insect-induced galls of the Malabar bioregion, Southern India" . Oriental Insects. 49 (3–4): 165–197. doi:10.1080/00305316.2015.1081420. ISSN   0030-5316.
5. Badami, Shrishailappa; Rai, Sujay R.; Suresh, B. (2005). "Antioxidant activity of Aporosa lindleyana root" . Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 101 (1–3): 180–184. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2005.04.029.
6. Ali, Yakub; Alam, Mohammad Sarwar; Hamid, Hinna; Husain, Asif; Kharbanda, Chetna; Bano, Sameena; Nazreen, Syed; Haider, Saqlain (2014). "Attenuation of inflammatory mediators, oxidative stress and toxic risk evaluation of Aporosa lindleyana Baill bark extract" . Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 155 (3): 1513–1521. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2014.07.035.
7. Jayakar, B.; Suresh, B. (2003). "Antihyperglycemic and hypoglycemic effect of Aporosa lindleyana in normal and alloxan induced diabetic rats" . Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 84 (2–3): 247–249. doi:10.1016/S0378-8741(02)00328-8.