Cratoxylum cochinchinense (Lour.) Blume

Cratoxylum species are deciduous or evergreen trees or shrubs. Branchlets terete. Leaves simple, opposite and decussate, lanceolate to elliptic oblong, margin entire, apex acute to obtuse, pinnately veined or triveined from the base, veinlets reticulate, petiole short or sessile, exstipulate. Inflorescence axillary or terminal cymes or panicles, in axils of fallen leaves, heterotristylous or heterodistylous. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic, pedicel short, bracteoles minute, caducous, sepals 5, subequal, lanceolate-ovate, coriaceous, usually accrescent, persistent, petals 5, oblanceolate to obovate, alternate to sepals, crimson red, white, pink, caducous or persistent. Staminal bundles or fascicles 3 to 5, unequally stalked, alternate to hypogynous scales, anthers dorsifixed, introrse, subpersistent. Ovary superior, globose, 3 locular, syncarpus, ovules 4-many per locule, anatropus, axil placentation, styles 3, free, stigma 3, thick, punctuate. Fruit capsule, ovoid-ellipsoid, 3 septiferous valved, dehiscing loculicidally, persistent or woody placenta at the base of the capsule. Seeds oblong-obovate, winged unilaterally or all round, brown, embryo cylindric-oblong, erect.

Cratoxylum species flowers are complete, bisexual, i.e., with functional male (androecium) and female (gynoecium), including stamens, carpels and ovary. Pollination is entomophilous i.e., by insects, or cleistogamy i.e., by self or allogamy i.e., by cross pollination. Flowering/Fruiting: Throughout the year.

Seeds may be dispersed by autochory i.e., self dispersal, anemochory i.e., wind dispersal, zoochory i.e., dispersal by birds or animals, anthropochory i.e., dispersal by humans.

Deciduous trees or shrubs, about 3-20 m tall, bark grayish brown, base or the trunk armed with long thorns, branchlets terete, glabrous. Leaves simple, opposite and decussate, lanceolate-elliptic to lanceolate-ovate, about 3.5-10 x 1-3.5 cm across, base cuneate to attenuate, margin entire, apex obtuse to deeply acute, midrib impressed above and prominent beneath, lateral veins about 7-12 on either side of the midrib, veinlets reticulate, glabrous on both sides but dark glands present beneath, petiole stout glabrous, about 2-5 mm long, exstipulate. Inflorescence 1-4 flowered in axillary or terminal cymes or panicles, in axils of fallen leaves, heterostylous, peduncles about 4-10 mm long. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic, about 1.5 cm across, pedicel about 1-2 mm long, bracteoles minute, caducous, sepals 5, subequal, lanceolate-oblong, coriaceous, apex obtuse, usually accrescent, persistent, about 5-8 x 3-4 mm across, petals 5, oblanceolate-obovate, alternate to sepals, crimson red, white, pink, caducous or persistent, about 7-9 x 3-5 mm across. Staminal bundles or fascicles 3, about 4-8 mm long, stamens about 25-30 in each, unequally stalked, alternate to hypogynous scales, anthers dorsifixed, introrse, subpersistent. Ovary superior, globose, 3 locular, syncarpus, ovules 4-many per locule, anatropus, axil placentation, styles 3, free, about 3 mm long, stigma 3, thick, punctuate. Fruit capsule, ovoid-ellipsoid, about 8-12 x 4-5 mm across, 3 septiferous valved, dehiscing loculicidally, persistent or woody placenta at the base of the capsule. Seeds oblong-obovate, about 6-7 x 2-3 mm across, winged unilaterally, brown, embryo cylindric-oblong, erect.

Cratoxylum species are susceptible to various insect pests, virus, and fungi, affecting leaves, fruits and roots.

Wild in Andaman & Nicobar Islands, probably cultivated elsewhere?

Not evaluated (IUCN).

Used in folk medicine, wood used for building construction and for making cabinets.