AEGLE

Aegle Correa, Trans. Linn. Soc. 5: 222. 1800; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 1: 516. 1875; Zhang & Hartley, Fl. China @ eFloras.org 11: 96; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 27.

Trees, deciduous, with straight axillary spines. Leaves alternate, 3(or 5)-foliate. Inflorescence terminal and axillary, fasciculate or panicle of racemes. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic, hypogynous, fragrant. Calyx cupulate, 3-5-lobed. Petals 4-5, imbricate in bud. Stamens numerous, free or irregularly coherent at base; filaments short and subulate, anthers linear-lanceolate. Disc columnar or bell-shaped. Ovary 8-20-loculed, ovules many per locule in 2 series; style short and thick; stigma capitate or obtuse. Fruit a berry, globose-ovoid; exocarp thin, parenchymatous, mesocarp woody, endocarp fleshy, soft and pulpy, becoming hard and reddish-orange when dry. Seeds many, depressed, ovoid, woolly when ripe.

2 species

Aegle marmelos

Aegle marmelos (L.) Correa, Trans. Linn. Soc. 5: 223. 1800; Stewart, Punj. Pl. 28. 1869; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 1: 516. 1875; Cooke, Fl. Pres. Bomb. 1: 203. 1901; Collett, Fl. Siml. ed. 2: 80. 1921 (Reprint 1980); Sabnis, J. Ind. Bot. Soc. 3: 277. 1923; Kashyap, Fl. Lahore 61: 1936; Parker, For. Fl. Punj. ed. 1: 62. 1918 (Reprint 1973); Fl. China @ eFloras.org 11: 97; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 27.

A small or medium-sized deciduous tree armed with straight, sharp, axillary thorns, 1.5-2.5 cm long, solitary or paired. Leaves alternate 3(or 5)-foliate; petiole 2.5-6.5 cm long, terete; leaflets 4-13 cm x 2-6.5 cm, ovate to elliptic, margin crenate or crenulate, apex acuminate or acute, base narrowly cuneate, membranous, pellucid-punctate; lateral leaflets opposite, subsessile; terminal long-petioled. Flowers greenish-white, sweet-scented, ca. 2.5 cm across, bisexual, actinomorphic, hypogynous, in short axillary panicle. Pedicels 4-5 mm long, pubescent, gland-dotted. Calyx more or less campanulate or cupulate, 3 mm long, pubescent, 4- or 5-lobed, lobes rounded, 1 mm long, sometimes obscure, gland-dotted. Petals 4(or 5), free (imbricate in bud), spreading, ca. 1.2 cm x 0.5-0.6 cm, oblong, obtuse, thick, greenish-white, brownish when mature. Stamens numerous, 30-50 or more, free or irregularly connate at base; anthers elongate, linear-oblong, 5-6 mm long, apiculate, sparsely pubescent, bithecous, dehiscence longitudinal; filaments free or irregularly connate in fascicles, inserted around inconspicuous disc, ca. 5 mm long, white, subulate. Ovary ca. 5 mm long, 10-22- locular, many ovules per loculus, in 2 series; style short, ca. 2 mm long, thick; stigma capitate. Fruit a berry, 10-12 cm x 6-8 cm, greenish-yellow or greenish, globose to pyriform, rind (mesocarp) ca. 3 mm thick, pulp pale orange, mucilaginous, aromatic. Seeds numerous, flat, oblong, ca. 8 mm long, densely woolly, embedded in transparent sticky gum.

Flowering and Fruiting: May to December
Common Names: Bael, Beli fruit, Bengal Quince, Wood Apple, Japanese Bitter Orange, Stone Apple; Bel, Bel Pathar (Hindi)