AgroForestryTree Database
Cordia dichotoma
 Species identityEcology and distributionPropagation and managementFunctional usesPests and diseasesAdditional InfoBibliographyImages |
Species identity
TaxonomySynonym(s)
Common names
(English) : Indian cherry
(Hindi) : bhokar, borla, lasura
(Nepali) : kalo bohori
Botanic description
Cordia dichotoma is a small to moderate-sized deciduous tree with a short bole and spreading crown. The stem bark is greyish brown, smooth or longitudinally wrinkled. Flowers are short-stalked, bisexual and white in colour, appear in loose corymbose cymes. The fruit is a yellow or pinkish-yellow shining globose or ovoid drupe seated in a saucer-like enlarged calyx. It turns black on ripening and the pulp gets viscid. The hard stone is 1-4 seeded. The generic name honours a 16th century German botanist, Valerius Cordus. The specific epithet means having divisions always in pairs.
Ecology and distribution
History of cultivationIt is often cultivated for its fruits throughout the range of its natural distribution.
Natural Habitat
C. dichotoma is a tree of tropical and subtropical regions. It grows in the sub-Himalayan tract and outer ranges, ascending up to about 1 500 m elevation. It is found in a variety of forests ranging from the dry deciduous forests of Rajasthan to the moist deciduous forests of Western Ghats and tidal forests in Myanmar. In Maharashtra, it grows in moist monsoon forest also. It does not grow gregariously, but is found growing singly in moist shady ravines and valleys. In areas with annual rainfall less than 500 mm, it thrives along streams or depressions where moisture is available.
Geographic distribution
Native : India, Myanmar, Nepal
Biophysical limitsAltitude: 200-1 500 m Mean annual rainfall: 250-3 000 mm Soil type: The tree prefers deep moist sandy loam soils.
Reproductive Biology
Flowers are bisexual. Flowering takes place from March to May with the new leaves. The old leaves are shed during winter and the trees are leafless for a short period in early summer. Fruits are formed soon after flowering, develop quickly and ripen from June to August in north India and normally before May in south India. Seed dispersal is aided by birds and monkeys which feed on the ripe fruit. Flowers bisexual.
Propagation and management
Propagation methodsGermination is epigeous. 1 or 2 seedlings may appear from 1 stone. Propagation is through seed which should be sown direct into containers, beds or trays and pricked out when the first pair of true leaves have formed. Sowing is done in June-July at a depth of 2 cm in lines spaced about 20 cm apart. A seed rate of 80 g/sq. m of nursery area is adopted. Germination starts in about 3-4 weeks and is complete in 6 weeks. At lower altitudes, plantable seedlings can be obtained after 3-4 months in the nursery, but at higher altitudes, 9-12 months are needed. In India raising plants from stumps has been carried out successfully. The stumps should be 8-13 mm thick at the root collar, with about 4 cm stem and 20-25 cm root. Such plants should be raised in beds for 12-15 months before stumping. Shading should be for only 1 week after seedlings have been pricked out, otherwise seedlings should have full light. Frequent weeding and root pruning is necessary. Seedlings should be ready for planting in the field in about 1 year at the commencement of monsoon rains.Tree Management
Young seedlings are frost tender and also suffer from exposure to hot sun. They are susceptible to browsing and fire, but recover appreciably from these injuries. The tree coppices and pollards well. On good sites the trees reach a height of 4 m in 4 years and a diameter of over 20 cm in 8-9 years. From pole stage it prefers complete overhead light, but seedlings and saplings can withstand a fair amount of shade.
Germplasm Management
Ripe fruits are collected from the trees and rubbed to remove the flesh. The healthy stones are dried in the shade and kept in tin containers. The stones can be stored for 1 year in airtight containers kept in a dry place to avoid insect attack. There are 4 000-7 000 stones/kg.
Functional uses
ProductsFood: The immature fruits are pickled and are also used as a vegetable Fodder: The leaves yield good fodder and are lopped for this purpose. They contain 12-15 % crude protein, 16-27 % crude fibre, 42-53 % nitrogen-free extract, 2-3 % ether extract, 13-17 % total ash, 2-4 % calcium and about 0.3 % phosphorus. The seed kernel of C. dichotoma contains a high proportion of fatty oils and proteins (46 and 31%, respectively) which has potential as cattle feed. Fuel: The tree is used as a fuelwood. Timber: The wood is used to make agricultural implements. Poison: Fruit extract of C. dichotoma suppresses larval hatching of Meloidogyne incognita. Medicine: Seeds of the species are anti-inflammatory, 2 compounds alpha-amyrin and 5-dirhamnoside have been isolated. The bark is medicinal and several chemicals have been identified; Allantoin, beta -sitosterol and 3',5-dihydroxy-4'-methoxy flavanone-7-O- alpha -L-rhamnopyranoside. The seed kernel has medicinal properties.Services
Boundary or barrier or support: C. dichotoma is a quick-growing fruit tree, performing well under semi-arid conditions and suitable for planting along boundary and farm roads.
Pests and diseasesA large number of insect pests are reported, defoliators being among the most important. Larvae of some insects of the families Chrysomelidae, Glyphiplerygidae, Noctuidae, Lymantreedae, Notodontidae, Pyralidae, Sphingidae and Yponomeutidae defoliate the leaves. Larvae of Gracilariidae and Lyonetiidae mine the leaves and those of Eucosmidae roll the leaves. Larvae of some insects belonging to families Eucosmidae, Curculionidae and Pyralidae bore into the fruits and shoots. Austrothrips cochinchinensis forms galls and feeds on the sap. Aceria gallae and A. pobuzii infest C. dichotoma in Taiwan and cause galls on leaves, fruits, shoots and tender stems. The weevil Barioscapus cordiae, adults attack the fruits and feed on the green pedicel, sepals and pollen grains inside the buds.
Bibliography
Agnihotri VK, Srivastava SD, Srivastava SK, Pitre S and Rusia K. 1987. Constituents from the seeds of Cordia obliqua as potential anti-inflammatory agents. Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. 49(2): 66-69.Anwar Masood, Sultanul-Haq and Saxena SK. 1985. Effect of some plant extracts on the larval hatching of Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid & White, 1919) Chitwood, 1949-III. Indian Forester. 111(10): 841-845.
Duhan A, Chauhan BM and Punia D. 1992. Nutritional value of some non-conventional plant foods of India. Plant Foods for Human Nutrition. 42(3): 193-200.
Huang Tsan and Huang T. 1996. Two new species of the genus Aceria (Acarina: Eriophyidae) from Taiwan. Journal of Agriculture and Forestry. 45(3): 81-87.
Jackson JK. 1987. Manual of afforestation in Nepal. Department of Forestry, Kathmandu.
Krishnamurthy KV, Raman A and Ananthakrishnan TN. 1977. Studies on plant galls from India. 2. Leaf galls of Cordia obliqua Willd. (Cordia myxa Linn.) (Boraginaceae). Ceylon Journal of Science, Biological Sciences. 12(2): 73-84.
Nanda N and Pajni HR. 1991. Some aspects of the biology of Barioscapus cordiae (Mshl.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Annals of Entomology. 9(2): 91-94.
Negi SS. 1977. Fodder trees in Himachal Pradesh. Indian Forester. 103(9): 616-622.
Patolia MB and Singh SP. 1993. Effect of pinching, repotting and growth regulators on budding success under different time of budding in sebesten (Cordia dichotoma Forst.). Advances in Horticulture and Forestry. 3: 93-97
Singh RV. 1982. Fodder trees of India. Oxford & IBH Co. New Delhi, India.
Subba DB, Tamang BB and Tamang PM. 1992. Availability of protein from high altitude tree fodders during the dry season in the eastern hills of Nepal. Veterinary Review Kathmandu. 7(2): 55-57.
Theagarajan KS and Prahbu VV. 1977. Chemical examination and utilisation of Cordia dichotoma kernel. Current Science. 46(15): 511-512.
Tiwari KP and Srivastava SSD. 1979. Chemical investigation of the stem bark of Cordia obliqua. Planta Medica. 36(2): 191-192.