CHALTA

(Dillenia indica)

Fruits on tree

 Synonym: Dillenia speciosa.

English name: Elephant apple

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Chalta is found in forests along the base of Himalayas from Nepal to Meghalaya.  It is also found in dry hilly regions of Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh in north and Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh in south India.  It bears green fruits which resemble large apples.

            Chalta is a handsome evergreen tree, 30-80 ft high and 6 ft in girth, with a dense rounded crown.  Leaf oblong lanceolate, 8-14 in. long and 2-4 in. broad, with pointed apex and toothed margin; the upper part of the leaf as well as the veins beneath is covered with hairs.  Flowers are large, 5-8 in. wide, white, fragrant and solitary.

            Fruit large, 3-5 in. in diameter, hard, consisting of 5 closely fitting imbricate sepals enclosing numerous seeds embedded in a glutinous pulp.  Seed are small, compressed, and reniform with hairy margins.

            Ripe fruits are gathered at maturity.  Fleshy sepals form the edible portion. 

            Though the fruits contain sugars, still these taste pleasantly sour due to predominance of acid.  These are seldom eaten raw and are mostly used as flavouring in curries.  These are also made into jams and jellies. The juice is sweetened with sugar to make a cooling and refreshing drink.

            The tree is planted in gardens.

            Chalta is propagated by seed.

            Wood is widely used as timber.

Medicinal uses

The fruit is said to possess tonic and laxative properties, and is used for abdominal pains.  The bark and leaves are astringent.  Dried leaves are used as a substitute for sand paper in polishing ivory and horn.