Elaeocarpus serratus

Elaeocarpus serratus is a tropical fruit found in the Indian Subcontinent, Indo-China and South East Asia. It is an ornamental medium-sized tree indigenous to Sri Lanka, producing smooth, ovoid green fruits. The fruit has nutritive and medicinal values. This Ceylon olive is a beneficial herbal plant used to cure various diseases. The botanical name is Elaeocarpus serratus. Classified by Carl Linnaeus in 1753. Belongs to genus Elaeocarpus and Family Elaeocarpaceae. It is an Asia-tropical fruit tree. Found in India - Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Manipur, Assam and Nepal and Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in the Indian Subcontinent. Also found in Indo-China - Myanmar and Indonesia and Malaysia. In Sri Lanka the fruit is well known. Known as Veralu (වෙරළු) in Sinhala, Veralikkai in Tamil, Kaarakka or Kaara in Malayalam, Zolphai (জলফাই) in Assamese, Jalpai (জলপাই) in Bengali, Chorphon in Manipur and as Ceylon olive in English. It is an ornamental medium-sized tree. Bears smooth ovoid green fruits the size of about 2.5 cm long. Recommended varieties are local cultivars (round and oval fruits). It has a brown coloured seed inside the fruit.The seed has a hard outer shell.The seeds are slow for germination .germination can take up to 2 years.The wood is whitish yellow. The fruits are high in starch and sugar and have low amounts of protein and iron. It may help treat diarrhoea due to its constipating effect.. In Sri Lanka pickled Ceylon olives are eaten as popular street food.