MAULI
(Sorbus cuspidata)
A tree of mauli
Family: Rosaceae
Synonym: Pyrus vestita
Other names: Himalayan whitebeam
Mauli is a fruit of cold areas growing at altitudes between2000 to 3500m. Besides India, it also occurs naturally in occurs in Xizang province of China, Butan, Nepal and Myanmar.
Description:
A large shrub 7–8 m tall; branchlets purplish brown when young, grayish brown when old, grayish white tomentose when young, glabrous when old; buds ovoid, 0.7–1.4 cm, glabrous, apex acute; scales imbricate, several, brown.
Leaves of mauli
Leaves simple; petiole 1–2.5 cm, stout, white tomentose; stipules brownish, lanceolate, 0.8–1.2 cm, membranous, tomentulose; leaf blade elliptic, 12–22 × 7–12 cm, lateral veins 10–15 pairs, nearly parallel and terminating in marginal teeth, abaxially densely white tomentose, adaxially puberulent when young, glabrate, base rounded or broadly cuneate, margin unevenly serrate or doubly serrate, sometimes ± lobed, apex acute or ± obtuse, rarely shortly acuminate.
Flowers, white, 7–8 mm wide, borne on compound corymbs 5–8 × (5–)7–10 cm, 30–45-flowered; rachis and pedicels initially white tomentose, glabrescent; pedicel 5–8 mm. Hypanthium campanulate, abaxially white pubescent except at base; sepals triangular or lanceolate, 2.5–3 × 1.5–2.5 mm, apex acute; petals white, obovate, 6–8 × 4–6 mm, adaxially puberulent, base shortly clawed; stamens 20–25, slightly shorter than petals; anthers purple; styles 3–5, basally connate and tomentose.
Flowers of mauli
Fruit dark red, globose, 1.5–2 cm in diam., 3–5-loculed, with many conspicuous lenticels; sepals persistent.
Seeds brown, lanceolate, compressed, 7–8 × 3–4 mm.
Utlilization:
Fruits of mauli are edible and eaten by local people.
Fruits of mauli
Mauli has attractive foliage. Sao it is planted in gardens and homes as an ornamental plant.
Cultivation:
New plants are raised from seed. No special technique is required for the care and maintenance of mauli.