Horsfieldia kingii

Horsfieldia kingii
Horsfieldia kingii fruits
Horsfieldia kingii leaves
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Plantae
Clade:Angiosperms
Clade:Magnoliids
Order:Magnoliales
Family:Myristicaceae
Genus:Horsfieldia
Species: H. kingii
Binomial name
Horsfieldia kingii
(Hook. f.) Warb.[1]
Synonyms
  • Myristica kingii[2]
  • H. hainanensis[3]
  • H. tetratepala[3]

Horsfieldia kingii is a dioecious tree belonging to the Myristicaceae family. It grows up to 20 m tall[4] and has large seeds that are dispersed by frugivores such as hornbills and imperial pigeons.[5] The fruiting period is from February to May.[6] The fruit is an arillate capsule and is bi-coloured.[5]

The plant is referred to as ramtamul in Assamese language and is sometimes used as a substitute for betelnut. However, they could be mildly intoxicating to humans.[4] The leaves form a part of the diet of the endangered capped langur.[7]

References

  1. ↑ Horsfieldia kingii at the International Plant Names Index accessible online
  2. ↑ Hooker, JD (1886) Flora of British India 5:106
  3. 1 2 "The Plant List".
  4. 1 2 Chaudhuri, AB (1993) Forest Plants of Eastern India APH Publishing p. 434
  5. 1 2 Aparajita Datta & Rawat, GS (2008) Dispersal modes and spatial patterns of tree species in a tropical forest in Arunachal Pradesh, northeast India, Mongabay.com Open Access Journal - Tropical Conservation Science Vol. 1(3):163-185 PDF
  6. ↑ Nandini Velho (2008) The effect of terrestrial rodents on seed fate of hornbill-dispersed plants in Pakke Tiger Reserve, Unpublished MSc Thesis Manipal University. pp. 81 PDF Archived 2011-07-28 at the Wayback Machine.
  7. ↑ Kumar, A & Solanki, GS (2008) Population Status and Conservation of Capped Langurs (Trachypithecus pileatus) in and around Pakke Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh, India. Primate Conservation (23): 97–105 PDF Archived 2009-02-05 at the Wayback Machine.


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