Scientific Name : Ehretia acuminata R. Br.
Common Name : Heliotrope Ehretia, Koda Tree
Chinese Name : 厚殼樹
Family : BORAGINACEAE
Local distribution status : Native species
| Origins | Native range of the forests from 100 to 1700 m above sea level, ranging from East Asia and South Asia to Eastern Australia. |
|---|---|
| Meanings of name | The generic name Ehretia commemorates Georg Dionysius Ehret (1708-1770), who was an illustrious German botanist and botanical illustrator in history. Ehret was well-known with his exquisite depiction of Carl Linnaeus’s published ‘sexual system’ in 1735, which served to aid the rudimentary taxonomic work. His drawing style on plants from a precise and scientific perspective was later credited to ‘Linnaean style’ and has been widely adopted in botanical illustration. |
| Application |
Heliotrope Ehretia is rarely planted in Hong Kong for ornamental and shading purposes. However, it is highly recommended as a native alternative of current street and parks as ornamental trees in Hong Kong, by virtue of its dense foliage and graceful flowers. Likewise, the mature fruits are fleshy and can serve as a delicacy to urban animals. Heliotrope Ehretia is also valued for versatile medicinal effects. The leaves that contain anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic effects are commonly used as traditional medicines in China and India for treating acute dysentery. The bark processed into juice is effective to relieve fever and sores on tongues. |
| Growing habit | Evergreen tree or deciduous tree. |
|---|---|
| Height | To 15 m. |
| Stems | Bark black greyish. Branchlets smooth, light brown, glabrous, lenticellate. |
| Leaves | Simple leaves alternate. Blade coriaceous, elliptic to obovate or oblong-obovate, base broadly cuneate, apex acute, margin serrate, glabrous or pubescent along veins abaxially. |
| Flowers | Panicles terminal, pubescent or subglabrous. Flowers crowded, fragrant, calyx campanulate, corolla companulate, 5-lobed, white, stamens exserted. |
| Fruits | Drupes globose, turning orangish yellow when mature, endocarp wrinkled, pyrenes 2. |
| Seeds | 2 seeds per pyrene. |
| Flowering period | April to September in Hong Kong. |
| Fruiting period | April to September in Hong Kong. |
Scientific name above is based on Hong Kong Herbarium website :
https://herbarium.gov.hk/en/hk-plant-database/plant-detail/index.html?pType=species&oID=4153
Scientific names from other databases :
― Plants of the World Online : Ehretia acuminata R.Br.
― GBIF : Ehretia acuminata (DC.) R.Br.