Common Name: Long-leaf cordia. Tamil Name: Narivirian
Cordia sinensis is a tree of African origin and grows to a height of about 8 meters. The bark of the tree is light colored and mature trunk has vertical fissures on them. The leaves are simple and arranged in an opposite or sub-opposite manner; the margin is wavy and slightly dentate. The branches are lenticulate and tend to droop downwards. The leaf stalk measure around 2.1 cm; the leaf length measure around 10.5 cm. The leaves are obovate in shape with a rounded apex. The inflorescence is in the form of a terminal cyme. The inflorescence stalk measure around 1.8 cm. The flower stalk measure around 2-3 mm. The flowers are white in color and tubular in shape; the petals are recurved. The flower tube measure around 4 mm. The fruit is in the form of a drupe (1 cm); initially green in color and turn orange when mature. The fruit is pulpy and sticky. The fruit contains a single seed. Long-leaf Cordia is cultivated in Africa for its edible fruits and other medicinal properties. This cordia tree is rather uncommon around Coimbatore.
