''Flacourtia indica'' (

syn. The Botanical and Zoological Codes of nomenclature treat the concept of synonymy differently. * In botanical nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that applies to a taxon that (now) goes by a different scientific name. For example, Linnae ...

''Flacourtia ramontchi''), known commonly as ramontchi, governor's plum, Madagascar plum and Indian plum, is a species of flowering plant native to much of Africa and tropical and temperate parts of Asia. ''F. indica'' and ''F. ramontchi'' are sometimes treated as separate species.

Description

This is a bushy

shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...

or tree with a spiny trunk and branches. In shrub form it grows up to and as a tree it reaches a maximum height around . The drooping branches bear oval leaves. The seeds are dispersed by birds.Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk
/ref> This tree has thorns similar to that of a lime or lemon tree. If in contact with the thorns, it leaves a nasty stinging pain.

Uses

The ramontchi fruit itself is about an inch thick and red ripening purple. It is very fleshy and has 6 to 10 seeds in layered carpels. The pulp is yellow or white and sweet with an acidic tang. It is eaten raw or made into jelly or jam. It can be fermented to make wine.World Agroforestry
/ref> The leaves and roots are used in

herbal medicine Herbal medicine (also herbalism) is the study of pharmacognosy and the use of medicinal plants, which are a basis of traditional medicine. With worldwide research into pharmacology, some herbal medicines have been translated into modern remed ...

for treatment of snakebite. The bark is believed to be effective for

arthritis Arthritis is a term often used to mean any disorder that affects joints. Symptoms generally include joint pain and stiffness. Other symptoms may include redness, warmth, swelling, and decreased range of motion of the affected joints. In som ...

. Most parts of the plant are used for cough, pneumonia, and bacterial throat infection. It has also been used for diarrhea. The tree is planted as a living fence; it was one of the species used for the Indian Inland Customs Line. The wood is used for

firewood Firewood is any wooden material that is gathered and used for fuel. Generally, firewood is not highly processed and is in some sort of recognizable log or branch form, compared to other forms of wood fuel like pellets or chips. Firewood can ...

and small wooden tools such as plow handles.

Cultivation

The plant is known as an occasionally

invasive Invasive may refer to: *Invasive (medical) procedure *Invasive species *Invasive observation, especially in reference to surveillance *Invasively progressive spread of disease from one organ in the body to another, especially in reference to cancer ...

introduced species in some areas. It has been cultivated in Florida in the United States and today it occurs as a weed in some parts of the state.

References

External links

USDA Plants Profile
{{Taxonbar, from=Q621082 Fruits originating in Africa indica Taxa named by Nicolaas Laurens Burman