Careya arborea
Family : Lecythidaceae
Common Name : Wild Guava
English Name : Ceylon Oak
Hindi Name : Kumbhi
Telugu Name : Araya
Tree Characteristics :
Found throughout the State in the moister part, and in the ravines and valleys. It is abundant in Eturnagaram. Pasra. Tadvai forests of Warangal District. It is identified by leaves turning red in the cold season, dark grey thick bark and large showy flowers. It occurs both on alluvial soils and loams. It also occurs on lateritic soils. It is a fire resistant species. It is a good coppicer.
Nursery Practice :
The tree is best raised from the seed. It has however not been tried much for artificial regeneration. The seeds often gernminate within the fruit as it lies on the ground. The growth of the seedlings is rather slow. No. of seeds per Kg. is 2822 and the Germination percentage is 30.
Economic Uses :
The bark of the tree and the sepals of the flowers are well-known Indian remedies, and are valued on account of their astringent and mucilaginous properties, being administered internally in coughs and colds and applied externally as an embrocation.
The fruit is edible, but the seeds are reported as slightly poisonous. The fruit is a capsule up to 6cm in diameter with a leathery skin and a fleshy pulp.
