Pleiospermium alatum
Winged naringi, a wild citrus
- Also called Winged naringi
- Telugu Kondanimma
- Sinhala Thunpath kurundu (තුන්පත් කුරුඳු)
Spiny small tree
What it is
Winged naringi is a small wild citrus tree with grey, warty bark and single spines where the leaves join the stem. Each leaf has three leathery leaflets on a narrowly winged stalk, which is what alatum (winged) refers to. Clusters of small white flowers are followed by round berries that look like tiny oranges, with fragrant, sticky pulp. It grows wild in South India, Sri Lanka and the Andaman Islands.
What it's used for
- Caterpillars of the Common Mormon swallowtail butterfly feed on its leaves.
- It is a wild relative of citrus and is held in plant genebanks for that reason.
Where we plant it
Reforestation in Tamil Nadu, India
Sadhana Forest, Auroville, Tamil Nadu, India
Plant trees in this projectOur partners plant the mix of native species that suits each site and season, so a gift plants trees in the project rather than this one species. Pleiospermium alatum is one of the species planted there.
Read more about Pleiospermium alatum on aurovilleherbarium.org
More trees planted in Reforestation in Tamil Nadu, India
Pamburus, a wild citrus relativePamburus missionis
Elumbotti, the bone-knit shrubOrmocarpum sennoides
Climbing olaxOlax scandens
Bakul, Magizham or Spanish cherryMimusops elengi
Kaya or Ironwood treeMemecylon umbellatum
Notched-leaf spike thornMaytenus emarginata
Palai, Palu or KhirniManilkara hexandra
Pointed-leaf jasmineJasminum cuspidatum
See all 37 species in Reforestation in Tamil Nadu, India
