Common Name: Coromondel boxwood. Tamil Name: Nallakkarai
Coromondel boxwood is a deciduous shrub that grows to a height of about 3 meters. The plant branches are covered with oppositely arranged straight spines- each measuring around 1.5 cm in length. The leaves are bunched around the branches. The spines are little above the leaf axis. The leaves are simple and arranged in opposite decussate manner. The leaf stalk and leaf length measure around 7 mm and 3.9 cm respectively. The leaves are ovate in shape; tip sub-acute and base rounded. The inflorescence is axillary and very short, containing a few flowers. The flowers are greenish white in color with four re-curved petals. The corolla measures round 4 mm across. The calyx is cup shaped and four toothed. The flower has four stamens; they do not protrude out of the flower cup. The fruit is obovate in shape and initially green in color; they turn yellow and then to orange as it ripe. Coromondel boxwood is a valued medicinal plant and is generally considered as a general tonic. The leaves are cooked and eaten; the fruits are also consumed by village folks. This shrub is used in villages and farm lands as a live-hedge plant. Coromondal boxwood is the larval host plant for Common silverline butterfly (source www.ifoundbutterflies.org)
