Madras Ashoka

Madras Ashoka

Family :Annonaceae

Characteristic Features:

Habit : tree erect or rarely scandent, dioecious.

Leaves : simple, alternate, glabrous or softly pubescent ,leaf opposed .

Flowers : bisexual, solitary or few, axillary, supra-axillary, pubescent, pedicellate and bracteate. Sepals 3, usually valvate, Petals 6 in 2 series, valvate, free, subequal, variously shaped, flat, spreading, outer petals slightly smaller or larger than the inner petals. Stamens numerous, anthers cuneate, connectives rhomboidal or orbicular, apiculate on top. Carpels indefinite, oblong, angled or cylindrical, style long, short or almost absent, stigma dilated, sessile, ovules usually 1-2 sometimes up to 5.

Fruit : Ripe carpels or fruits apocarpous, monocarps many, globose or ellipsoid, fleshly, stalked or rarely subsessile.

Seeds : usually 1, sometimes up to 5, grooved.