Lets see how much info we can get on nepalese fruits...
I am sorry to take your minds away from love and other very important posts...:-)
this one is knowledge oriented...

I'll start with Jack fruit which one of my favorite, unripe as vegetable, ripe as sweet tasty fruit and even the seeds has its own use...

Jackfruit; Artocarpus heterophyllus; Rookh Katahar; रुख कटहर
The jackfruit, Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam. (syns. A. integrifolius Auct. NOT L. f.; A integrifolia L. f.; A. integra Merr.; Rademachia integra Thunb. ), of the family Moraceae, is also called jak-fruit, jak, jaca, and, in Malaysia and the Philippines, nangka; in Thailand, khanun; in Cambodia, khnor; in Laos, mak mi or may mi; in Vietnam, mit. It is an excellent example of a food prized in some areas of the world and allowed to go to waste in others. O.W. Barrett wrote in 1928: ";The jaks . . . are such large and interesting fruits and the trees so well-behaved that it is difficult to explain the general lack of knowledge concerning them.";
No one knows the jackfruit's place of origin but it is believed indigenous to the rainforests of the Western Ghats. It is cultivated at low elevations throughout India, Nepal, Burma, Ceylon, southern China, Malaya, and the East Indies. It is common in the Philippines, both cultivated and naturalized. It is grown to a limited extent in Queensland and Mauritius. In Africa, it is often planted in Kenya, Uganda and former Zanzibar. Though planted in Hawaii prior to 1888, it is still rare there and in other Pactfic islands, as it is in most of tropical America and the West Indies. It was introduced into northern Brazil in the mid-19th Century and is more popular there and in Surinam than elsewhere in the New World.
In South India, the jackfruit is a popular food ranking next to the mango and banana in total annual production. There are more than 100,000 trees in backyards and grown for shade in betelnut, coffee, pepper and cardamom plantations. The total area planted to jackfruit in all India is calculated at 14,826 acres (26,000 ha). Government horticulturists promote the planting of jackfruit trees along highways, waterways and railroads to add to the country's food supply.

Jack fruit is the world's largest tree borne fruit...Largest of all tree-borne fruits, the jackfruit may be 8 in to 3 ft (20-90 cm) long and 6 to 20 in (15-50 cm) wide, and the weight ranges from 10 to 60 or even as much as 110 lbs (4.5-20 or 50 kg).

Food Value Per 100 g of Edible Portion
Pulp (ripe-fresh) Seeds (fresh) Seeds (dried)
Calories 98
Moisture 72.0-77.2 g 51.6-57.77 g
Protein 1.3-1.9 g 6.6 g
Fat 0.1-0.3 g 0.4 g
Carbohydrates 18.9-25.4 g 38.4 g
Fiber 1.0-1.1 g 1.5 g
Ash 0.8-1.0 g 1.25-1.50 g 2.96%
Calcium 22 mg 0.05-0.55 mg 0.13%
Phosphorus 38 mg 0.13-0.23 mg 0.54%
Iron 0.5 mg 0.002-1.2 mg 0.005%
Sodium 2 mg
Potassium 407 mg
Vitamin A 540 I.U.
Thiamine 0.03 mg
Niacin 4 mg
Ascorbic Acid 8-10 mg

The pulp constitutes 25-40% of the fruit's weight.
I'm pretty sure, many of us have actually seen the tree.
If you have any specific dishes made out of jackfruit, please share...
i'll add more nepalese fruit soon...

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how about the kimbo?

Sisnu---Nettle Plant...
दादा गिरि,
अब ऐँसेलु खोज्दा खोज्दा रात बित्यो
अब *त्रो हेरेर चित्त बुझाम्
लु सिस्नो खाम् तर तेस्ले धोति भाइले जस्तो चैँ नपुछम् है ;-)
फेरी नेपालको घाँस त यस्तो कडा छ नेपाली त झन् कस्तो होला भनेर भाग्ला।
from http://www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant31.htm

31. STINGING NETTLE WOOD (BULL) NETTLE

Urtica dioica Laportea canadensis

(nettle family)

TOXICITY RATING: Low. Local irritation is the most common sign which shortly resolves on its own.

ANIMALS AFFECTED: Any animal that brushes against or consumes the plant can be affected. Short-haired hunting dogs and other dogs that run through the underbrush are more likely to encounter this plant.

DANGEROUS PARTS OF PLANT: Stems, leaves.

CLASS OF SIGNS: Facial, skin and oral irritation, salivation, pawing at the mouth, possible ocular irritation.

PLANT DESCRIPTION: These herbaceous perennials are common on moist ground in flood plains, woodlands, and along stream and river banks. They often occur in colonies so large that they are the only herbaceous plant present. The tough unbranched stems grow 2 to 5 feet tall from fibrous roots and are covered with stinging bristles. The leaves are opposite, thin, egg-shaped, toothed, and tapered at the tip. They measure 2 to 6 inches by 1 to 2 inches in stinging nettle and 3 to 8 inches by 3 to 5 inches in wood nettle. The 3 to 5 main veins from the base make the leaf (especially in wood nettle) strongly resemble the leaves of white snakeroot. However, the stinging hairs on the lower surface of the leaves prove the plant's identity. The tiny, green or greenish-white flowers droop in axillary clusters in stinging nettle (fig. 31) and stand upright in branching clusters at the top of the stem in wood nettles.

SIGNS: The small, hollow hairs in stinging nettle contain several irritating substances such as histamine (the mediator of some allergic reactions), serotonin, acetylcholine and formic acid (ants contain a high concentration of formic acid). These substances, coupled with the hairs ability to scratch the skin and mucus membranes, results in almost immediate burning, itching and irritation. Typically, signs are present for a few minutes to a few hours, and resolve on their own. If oral contact was made, the animal may shake its head, salivate, and rub its mouth. Skin irritation is possible, especially with short-coated dogs, and ocular (eye) irritation is also possible. It is possible that the animals attempts to comfort itself and relieve the irritation may cause more damage than the plant itself. On very rare occasions (and only after significant amounts were consumed or contacted) will more severe systemic signs manifest (trembling, weakness, disturbances in heart rate). Nearly all animals (including humans) learn to stay away from nettle.

FIRST AID: Limit further exposure as much as possible. Remove affected animals from the areas where the plants are located, and monitor the animals so they don't self-traumatize. Recovery should occur within a few minutes to hours. If animals continue to have difficulty, or if more serious signs develop, or at any time if the eyes are affected, contact a veterinarian.

SAFETY IN PREPARED FEEDS: There is little information on the safety of nettle in feeds. However, due to its irritant potential, inclusion of this plant into hay or feeds is not recommended.

PREVENTION: Use caution in marshy or wooded areas where dense stands of nettle may be located. Prevent animals from contacting the plants as much as possible.
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खै नेपाल बाहेक अरु कहाँ कहाँ खान्छन्, था छैन।।।

Kimbu or किम्बु or Mulberry...
This is famous for Silk manufacturing as kimbu leaves are great food for silkworms...
We used to eat white and red both types of kimbu in Khumaltar.
Another very tasty variety is real long ones found in Harihar Bhawan's complex. Those trees are also huge...
from http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/mulberry.html

MULBERRY
Morus spp.
Moraceae
Common Names: Mulberry.

Species: White Mulberry (Morus alba L.), Black Mulberry (M. nigra L.), American Mulberry, Red Mulberry (M. rubra L.). Hybrid forms exist between Morus alba and M. rubra.

Related Species: Korean Mulberry (Morus australis), Himalayan Mulberry (M. laevigata).

Distant Affinity: Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis), Jackfruit (A. heterophyllus), Fig (Ficus spp.), Che (Cudrania tricuspidata), African Breadfruit (Treculia african).

Origin: The white mulberry is native to eastern and central China. It became naturalized in Europe centuries ago. The tree was introduced into America for silkworm culture in early colonial times and naturalized and hybridized with the native red mulberry. The red or American mulberry is native to eastern United States from Massachusetts to Kansas and down to the Gulf coast. The black mulberry is native to western Asia and has been grown for its fruits in Europe since before Roman times.

Adaptation: The white mulberry, and to a lesser extent the red mulberry, are quite tolerant of drought, pollution and poor soil. The white mulberry is considered a weed tree in many parts of the country including urban areas. The black mulberry is more fastidious, faring less well in cold climates or areas with humid summers. The white mulberry is the most cold-hardy of the three species, although this varies from one clone to another. Some are damaged at 25? F, while others are unfazed at -25? F. Red mulberries are hardy to sub-zero temperatures. The black mulberry is the least cold-hardy of the three, although again cold tolerance seems to depend on the clone. In general it is limited to USDA Hardiness Zone 7 (0? to 10? F average minimum) or warmer. They have been planted only to a limited extent in America, mostly on the Pacific Coast. The mulberry makes a good town tree which will grow well in a tub.
DESCRIPTION
Growth Habit: All three mulberry species are deciduous trees of varying sizes. White mulberries can grow to 80 ft. and are the most variable in form, including drooping and pyramidal shapes. In the South on rich soils the red mulberry can reach 70 ft. in height. The black mulberry is the smallest of the three, sometimes growing to 30 ft. in height, but it tends to be a bush if not trained when it is young. The species vary greatly in longevity. Red mulberry trees rarely live more than 75 years, while black mulberries have been known to bear fruit for hundreds of years. The mulberry makes an attractive tree which will bear fruit while still small and young.

Foliage: The white mulberry is so-named for the color of its buds, rather than the color of its fruit. The thin, glossy, light green leaves are variously lobed even on the same plant. Some are unlobed while others are glove-shaped. Leaves of the red mulberry are larger and thicker, blunt toothed and often lobed. They are rough on their upper surfaces and pubescent underneath. The smaller black mulberry leaves are similar to those of the red mulberry, but with sturdier twigs and fatter buds. The species vary in the time of year they begin to leaf-out. White mulberries generally come out in early spring, almost two months before black mulberries.

Flowers: Mulberry trees are either dioecious or monoecious, and sometimes will change from one sex to another. The flowers are held on short, green, pendulous, nondescript catkins that appear in the axils of the current season's growth and on spurs on older wood. They are wind pollinated and some cultivars will set fruit without any pollination. Cross-pollination is not necessary. In California mulberries set fruit without pollination.

Fruit: Botanically the fruit is not a berry but a collective fruit, in appearance like a swollen loganberry. When the flowers are pollinated, they and their fleshy bases begin to swell. Ultimately they become completely altered in texture and color, becoming succulent, fat and full of juice. In appearance, each tiny swollen flower roughly resembles the individual drupe of a blackberry. The color of the fruit does not identify the mulberry species. White mulberries, for example, can produce white, lavender or black fruit. White mulberry fruits are generally very sweet but often lacking in needed tartness. Red mulberry fruits are usually deep red, almost black, and in the best clones have a flavor that almost equals that of the black mulberry. Black mulberry fruits are large and juicy, with a good balance of sweetness and tartness that makes them the best flavored species of mulberry. The refreshing tart taste is in some ways reminiscent of grapefruit. Mulberries ripen over an extended period of time unlike many other fruits which seem to come all at once.
CULTURE
Location: Mulberries need full sun and also adequate space. The distance between trees should be at least 15 ft. The trees should not be planted near a sidewalk. The fallen fruit will not only stain the walkway, but are likely to be tracked indoors. The trees are quite wind-resistant with some cultivars used as windbreaks in the Great Plains region.

Soil: Mulberries like a warm, well-drained soil, preferably a deep loam. Shallow soils such as those frequently found on chalk or gravel are not recommended.

Irrigation: Although somewhat drought-resistant, mulberries need to be watered in dry seasons. If the roots become too dry during drought, the fruit is likely to drop before it has fully ripened.

Fertilization: Mulberries generally thrive with minimal fertilization. An annual application of a balanced fertilizer such as 10:10:10 NPK will maintain satisfactory growth. In California mulberries usually need only nitrogen.

Pruning: No special pruning techniques are needed after the branches have been trained to a sturdy framework, except to remove dead or overcrowded wood. A mulberry tree can be kept to a tidy form by developing a set of main branches, and then pruning laterals to 6 leaves in July in order to develop spurs near the main branches. It is not advisable to prune the trees heavily since the plant is inclined to bleed at the cuts. Cuts of more than two inches in diameter generally do not heal and should be avoided at all cost. The bleeding will be less severe if the tree is pruned while it is dormant.

Propagation: Mulberries can be grown from seed, although the plants can take 10 years or more to bear. Seed should be sown as soon as extracted from the fruit, although white mulberry seeds germinate better after stratifying one to three months before planting.

Sprig budding is the most common method for grafting mulberries. A T-cut is made in the rootstock and a smooth, sloping cut is made on the lower end of the scion. The scion is then inserted into the T and wrapped and sealed. Other types of grafts are also usually successful, although there may be incompatibility between white and black mulberries. Hardwood, softwood and root cuttings also are suitable methods for propagating mulberries. Softwood cuttings of white mulberries root easily when taken in midsummer and treated with rooting hormone. Red mulberries are less easily rooted. Black mulberries are also somewhat difficult to propagate since they tend to bleed a lot.

Pests and Diseases: Mulberries are generally free of pests and diseases, although cankers and dieback can occur. In some areas "popcorn disease" is an occasional problem, in which fruits swell to resemble popped corn. M. alba/M. rubra hybrids are particularly prone to this condition. The disease carries on from one season to the next, so collecting and burning infected fruits help control it. The ripe fruit is very attractive to birds, but there is usually enough fruit left over for harvesting.

Harvest: White and red mulberry fruits (and hybrid fruits) are ready for harvest in late spring. The fruit of black mulberries ripen in summer to late summer. The fruits of white mulberries are often harvested by spreading a sheet on the ground and shaking the limbs. A surprising quantity can be gathered from a comparatively small and young tree. Black mulberry fruits are more difficult to pick. As the berries are squeezed to pull them loose, they tend to collapse, staining the hands (and clothing) with blood red juice. Unwashed the berries will keep several days in a refrigerator in a covered container. The ripe fruits of the black mulberry contain about 9% sugar with malic and citric acid. The berries can be eaten out of hand or used in any way that other berries are used, such as in pies, tarts, puddings or sweetened and pureed as a sauce. Slightly unripe fruits are best for making pies and tarts. Mulberries blend well with other fruits, especially pears and apples. They can also be made into wine and make an excellent dried fruit, especially the black varieties.
CULTIVARS

Black Persian
M. nigra. Large black fruit, over an inch long and almost as wide. Juicy with a rich, subacid flavor. The tree is fairly drought-resistant once established.
Collier
M. alba X M. rubra. Medium-sized, purplish-black fruit, 1-1/8 inches long and 3/8 inch in diameter. Flavor sweet, with just a trace of tartness. Quality very good, on par with Illinois Everbearing. Ripens over a long period. Tree of medium size, spreading , relatively hardy, very productive.
Downing
The original Downing was a M. alba var. multicaulis plant grown fromseed sown about 1846. The fruit was black with excellent flavor and ripened from June to September. Other varieties have subsequently been sold under the same name.
Illinois Everbearing
M. alba X M. rubra. Originated in White County, Illinois. Introduced in 1958. Black, nearly seedless fruit large and very long, averaging 12 per ounce. Flavor good to very good, very sweet, considered best by by many. Matures over along season. Tree vigorous and somewhat dwarfed, extremely hardy and productive.
Kaester
M. nigra. Originated in Los Angeles. Introduced in 1971 by Nelson Westree. Large black or deep purple, elongated fruit, 1-1/2 inches long and 1/2 inch in diameter. Flavor very sweet, with good sweet/tart balance. Tree bears heavily.
Pakistan
Originated in Islamabad, Pakistan. Extremely large ruby-red fruit 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 inches long and 3/8 inch in diameter. Flesh firmer than most other named cultivars. Sweet with a fine balance of flavors. Quality excellent. Tree spreading with large heart-shaped leaves. Recommended for the deep South and mild winter areas such as southern California, but usually performs satisfactorily in cooler areas.
Riviera
Originated in Vista, Calif. Elongated, deep purple-black fruits, 1 to 1-1/2 inches in length, 1/2 inch in diameter. Flesh slightly juicy and very sweet. Very good dessert quality. Ripens over a long period, from April to June.
Russian (Tatarica)
Introduced into Europe from China about 1,500 years ago. Fruit reddish-black, of good quality when completely ripe. Tree bushy, to 35 ft. tall, very hardy and drought resistant. Planted widely for windbreaks and wildlife food.
Shangri-La
Originated in Naples, Fla. Large, black fruit. Good mulberry for the Deep South and other areas. Hardy in U.S.D.A. Zones 7-9. Tree has very large, heart-shaped leaves.
Tehama (Giant White)
Originated in Tehama County, Calif. Very large, white-colored, plump fruit, 2-3/4 inches in length and 1/2 inch wide. Very sweet, succulent, melting flesh. Attractive, large-leaved tree. Probably best adapted to mild winter areas.
Wellington
Originated in Geneva, N.Y. Reddish-black medium-sized fruit, 1-1/4 inches long, 3/8 inch in diameter. Form long, slender and cylindrical. Flesh soft, of good flavor. Ripens over a period of several weeks. Tree is heavy producer. May be the old cultivar New American, which was also sold many years ago as Downing.

FURTHER READING

* Everett, T. H., ed. New Illustrated Encyclopedia of Gardening. vol. 7. Greystone Press, 1960. p. 1190.
* Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990. pp. 391-392.
* Johns, Leslie and Violet Stevenson, Fruit for the Home and Garden. Angus and Robertson, 1985. pp. 173-176
* Reich, Lee. Uncommon Fruits Worthy of Attention. Addison-Wesley, 1991. pp 173-183.

See Index of CRFG Publications, 1969 - 1989 and annual indexes of Fruit Gardener for additional articles on the mulberry. Here is the list of additional CRFG Fruit Facts. ? Copyright 1997, California Rare Fruit Growers, Inc.

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didn't realize until now that fruit above is called kimbu in nepali and mulberry in english. i recall foraging on kimbu fallen from its tree in jhamsikhel when i was small.

neupane, how abotu kiwi fruit? it is native of new zeland, but not sure it is grown in nepal.

Bayer or बयर or Zizyphus Mauritiana or Indian Jujube
jyapoo, lets try to put what is in nepal for ages first...then we'll move to others...
Remember picking bayer on the way to gorkha or lamjung???
here it is...
one of the most abundant wild fruit of nepal's hillsides...
from http://www.quisqualis.com/37indjubjoy.html

The Indian Jujube
by Gene Joyner, Extension Agent I
IFAS Palm Beach County Cooperative Extension Service

The Indian Jujube, Zizyphus mauritiana, is a beautiful evergreen tree up to forty feet or more from the Asian Tropics. The dark, rounded green leaves are very attractive and they have a light undersurface which is almost white. When the leaves flutter in the wind, the tree has a very attractive appearance.

The flowers are yellowish-white, borne in clusters along the leaf axils and this is shortly followed by the rounded fruit which can be anywhere from three-quarters of an inch to an inch-and-a-half in size. A layer of edible pulp surrounds the hard central stone and the fruits vary considerably in thickness and quality of the pulp. At maturity, fruits are generally light yellowish-orange to almost brown in color. Many people say that when these are eaten fresh, they have flavor somewhat resembling that of a green apple. Older fruits which have been allowed to sit for a few days before being eaten often will have a flavor almost like a date.

Trees are easily propagated by seeds, however, seedlings take two to three years to start fruit production. Superior varieties can be air-layered or grafted, but be careful because this tree does have quite formidable small spines. When pruning trees, one has to very careful about coming in contact with the short spines along the stems.

Trees grow well over a wide variety of soil types and seem to have very few insect problems. In wet weather, however, leaf diseases may attack the foliage, causing it to be brown- or black-spotted and unattractive for brief periods.

Trees should be fertilized two to three times a year with a good quality complete fertilizer for good growth and fruiting and the heaviest fruit production occurs during the early spring months. Often trees will bloom again during the late summer or early fall and have a second crop during autumn as well.

If one has an abundance of fruit, it can be frozen for long periods without any deterioration of quality.

Mature trees are quite cold hardy and can withstand temperatures down into the upper twenties without serious cold damage. Young trees, though, need to be protected at 32?F.
A close relative, the Chinese jujube, Z. jujuba, is often planted in Florida, but is better adapted for temperate climates rather than tropical climates. The quality of the fruit, however, with the Chinese jujube is much improved over the Indian jujube. Some selection and breeding work is currently being done on the Chinese jujube and hopefully varieties will be found that will be adapted for more tropical conditions.
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from-http://www.ap.nic.in/apforest/Silviculture%20of%20Species/Forest%20Seeds/42.htm
Andhra Pradesh Forest Department
Silviculture of Species
Forest Seeds
Zizyphus mauritiana, Lamk
(Syn. Z.Jujuba)
Family: Rhamnaceae
Common Name : Ber
Telugu Name : Regu

General :
Found wild in the forest and open lands. It is extensively cultivated for its edible fruits. Through specifically recommended for sandy loams, gravelly alluvial soils, it can be planted in laterites, black cutton and moderately saline soils having good drainage.
Flowering :
Greenish yellow flowers appear in April to October.
Fruiting :
Fruit ripens from October to Marck.
Morphology of the Fruit/Seed :
Drupe, 1.3 to 2.5 cms long; first yellow, then orange and finally reddish brown; globose or ovoid, with a single stone, embedded in fleshy pulp. Seed tubercled and irregularly furrowed.

Seed Collection and Storage :
Fruits collected in February to March, depulped and dried in the sun. Unsound and hollow seeds are sorted out by floatation in 18% salt solution. Viability of seed is for 1 to 2 years. Stored seeds germinate better.

Seed Biology :
No. of seeds per Kg.
Germination percentage
Plant percent
Period of germination in days
No. of seedlings per Kg. of fruit
700 to 1,800
31 to 95
27 to 82
15 to 85
750 to 1,470
Pretreatment:
Soaking in cold water for 48 hours; or in conc. H2SO4 for 45 minutes; or cracking of the hard outer bony shell.
Nursery Technique :
Sowing in primary beds in February to March and then pricked out to polybags after a month when they attain 4-leaf stage.
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herbal tincture is made from its leaves juice as well... read more at http://www.tropilab.com/olijf.html

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How about the following:

Aru (Peach)
Alu Pakhada

------------------------------------
"Alu Pakhada
Timro bahini maile lage
k ko jhagada"

Remember this saying in Nepal? ;)

सिस्नु पनि फलफुलभित्र पर्ने हो र नेउपाने सर?

i think nittle is still a plant, but it is treated as vegetable by certain subsistence oriented people. neupane might have more definite answer on it, though.

Amla or अमला or Phyllanthus emblica
अब दादा गिरिले समात्न पाए त घाँटी नै क्याक्क पार्ने हो
एउटाले सिस्नु पनि राखम् न हो भनेको भर राखेको मात्र के थिएँ, आपद् परेको
सिस्नु फल होइन तर फुल त पक्कै हो
हा हा
बरु एउटा database of nepalese vegetables and spices भन्ने शरु गर्छु। त्यसपछि मलाइ अल्लि सजिलो होला ;-)
Amla....

from -http://www.haryana-online.com/Flora/amla.htm
Amla (phyllanthus emblica) is a medium-sized deciduous tree. It is also named Emblica officinalis. It belongs to the plant family euphorbiaceae. It is also called Aonla, Aola, Amalaki, Dharty and Indian Gooseberry. The tree is found growing in the plains and sub-mountain on tracts all over the Indian subcontinent from 200 to 1500m. altitude. Its natural habitat like other members of its family starts from Burma in the East and extends to Afghanistan in the West. Latitude-wise it starts from Deccan and extends up to the foot of the Himalayan ranges.

The bark of Amla is gray in color and peals in irregular patches. Its feathery leaves, which smell like lemon, are of linear oblong shape and size 10 to 12 mm length and 3 to 6 mm width. Its flowers are monoecioius having greenish yellow color. They grow in auxiliary clusters and start appearing in the beginning of spring season.

Amla fruit, depressed globose with six vertical furrows, start developing by the middle of spring and the fruit ripen towards beginning of autumn. The color of the fruit is pale yellow. It is one of the myrobalans of the commerce the others being harar and baheda. Dried Amla fruit is used in Ayurvedic and Unani systems of medicine for various ailments like fever, liver disorder, indigestion, anemia, heart complaints and urinary problems. It is a rich source of vitamin C which gets assimilated in the human system easily and quickly and is a such utilized for treating scrubby, pulmonary tuberculosis, etc. Raw Amla fruit is also used for making pickle and preserves (morabbas). It is also used in making quality inks, ordinary dyes, hair dyes and shampoos and in tanning industry. Amla fruit paste is a major ingredient of Chavyanprash, a popular Ayurvedic tonic.

The wood of Amla tree is small in size and red in color. It is close grained and hard in texture. It warps and splits when exposed to sun and or excessive heat. However, in under-water situation it is fairly durable. It weighs nearly 20 kg per cubic foot and is generally utilized for making small agricultural implements. Amla wood is also used as firewood. it makes excellent charcoal.

Amla has been regarded as a sacred tree in India. The tree was worshipped as Mother Earth and is believed to nurture humankind because the fruit are very nourishing. Kartik Mahatma and Vrat Kaumudi order the worship of this tree. The leaves are offered to the Lord of Shri Satyanarayana Vrata, Samba on Shri Shanipradosha Vrata and Shiva and Gowri on Nitya Somvara Vrata. The fruit and flowers are also used in worship. In Himachal Pradesh the tree is worshipped in Kartik as propitious and chaste. Amla tree is commonly planted in compounds of domestic and office buildings, bunds of agricultural holdings, roadside avenues, etc. Now some farmers in Haryana have taken to planting Amla on their farms as a cash crop.

Horticulturists have evolved grafted varieties of Amla for better fruit quality. State forest departments produce seedlings of its ordinary variety for planting on large scale in gaps in forest canopy, wastelands and or otherwise vacant plots.

Keeping in view the manifold uses of the Amla plant, it is desirable that people, especially village folk, obtain its seedlings from nearby forest nurseries and plant these in the vacant nooks and corners around their houses and the bunds of their agricultural fields. the planting will not only yield revenue and foreign exchange, but also enrich the environment and add enchantment to the landscape. Ch Devi Lal herbal park has plantations of Amla and other medicinal plants and herbs.
*************************************************
from http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/emblic.html and
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/CropFactSheets/amla.html


Amla and Its Wild Himalayan Strain

Contributor Dr. Chiranjit Parmar

Copyright ? 2000. All Rights Reserved. Quotation from this document should cite and acknowledge the contributor.
Common Indian Name

Amla, Aonla
Botanical Name

Species: Emblica officinalis Gaertn.

Syn.: Phyllanthus emblica L.

Family: Euphorbiaceae
Origin

India.
Habit

A deciduous tree of small to medium size up to 5.5 meters.
amla
Fruit

Fruits, fleshy, almost depressed to globose, 2.24 cm in diameter, 5.68 g in weight, 4.92 ml in volume, primrose yellow 601/2 (Horticultural Colour Chart of the Royal Horticultural Society).

The stone of the fruit is six ribbed, splitting into three segments, each containing usually two seeds: seeds 4?5 mm long, 2?3 mm wide, each weighing 572 mg, 590 microliters in volume.

Analysis of the fruit pulp:

Fruit pulp


90.97% of the whole fruit by weight


70.5% moisture.

Total soluble solids (juice)


23.8% of the juice

Acidity


3.28%

Total sugars


5.08%

Tannins


2.73%

Pectin


0.59%

Protein


0.75%

Minerals (represented by ash)


2.922%

Ascorbic acid


1094 mg/100 ml of juice
Utilization

The fruits are used for making preserves and pickles, several Ayurvedic medicinal preparations, hairwash powders, hair oils etc. The fruit and bark is also used in tanning of leather by the village tanners.
Special Features

Amla is a very rich source of vitamin C. Its ascorbic acid content ranges from 1100 to 1700 mg per 100 grams which is said to be the second highest among all the fruits next only to the Barbados cherry (Malpighia glabra).

Amla has been held in very high esteem in old Sanskrit and other Indian language books on medicinal plants.
Medicinal Uses

The root bark is useful in ulcerative stomatitis and gastrohelcosis. The bark is useful in gonorrhoea, jaundice, diarrhoea and myalgia. The leaves are useful in conjuctuvitis, inflammation, dyspepsia, diarrhoea and dysentery. The fruits are useful in diabetes, cough, asthma, bronchitis, cephalalgia, ophthalmopathy, dyspepsia, colic, flatulence, hyperacidity, peptic ulcer, erysipelas, skin diseaes, leprosy, haematemesis, inflammations, anaemia, emaciation, hepatopathy, jaundice, strangury, diarrhoea, dysentery, haemorrhages, leucorrhoea, menorrhagia, cardiac disorders, intermittent fevers and greyness of hair. It is the principal constituent of the famous Ayurvedic restorative tonic called CHAYAVAN PRASH.
A Wild Amla

The cultivated amla is basically a tropical fruit and is highly sensitive to temperatures below 32 F. It is grown as an orchard crop in several parts of warmer India. There is a great demand for its fruits.

A wild strain grows in the forests of the Western Himalayas up to an altitude of 5000 ft even at places experiences mild snowfall during winter months. So it is cold resistant. The fruits of wild amla are relatively smaller.

This variant can be planted at places where the winter temperatures do not fall below 25 F. Superior cold hardy cultivars might be produced by breeding.
Resource Person

Dr. Chiranjit Parmar
186/3 Jail Road
Mandi HP 175 001 INDIA
Phone: 01905-22810
Fax: 01905-25419
E-mail: parmarch@vsnl.com
Copyright ? 1995. All Rights Reserved. Quotation from this document should cite and acknowledge the contributor.
Last updated: 3/16/2004 by aw
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Medicinal Uses: The emblic is of great importance in Asiatic medicine, not only as an antiscorbutic, but in the treatment of diverse ailments, especially those associated with the digestive organs. For such use, the fruit juice is prepared in the form of a sherbet or is fermented. In the latter state, it is prescribed in jaundice, dyspepsia and coughs. The dried chips of flesh are dispensed by apothecaries and often are mixed with grape juice and honey for dosage. The fruit is considered diuretic and laxative. Triphala, a decoction of emblic with Terminalia chebula Retz. and T. bellerica Roxb. is given for chronic dysentery, biliousness, hemorrhoids, enlarged liver, and other disorders. A powder prepared from the dried fruit is an effective expectorant as it stimulates the bronchial glands. The juice that exudes when the fruit is scored while still on the tree is valued as an eyewash and an application for inflamed eyes. An infusion made by steeping dried fruit overnight in water also serves as an eyewash, as does an infusion of the seeds. A liquor made from the fermented fruits is prescribed as a treatment for indigestion, anemia, jaundice, some cardiac problems, nasal congestion and retention of urine.

Emblic leaves, too, are taken internally for indigestion and diarrhea or dysentery, especially in combination with buttermilk, sour milk or fenugreek. The milky sap of the tree is applied on foul sores. The plant is considered an effective antiseptic in cleaning wounds, and it is also one of the many plant palliatives for snakebite and scorpion stings. A decoction of the leaves is used as a mouthwash and as a lotion for sore eyes.

The flowers, considered refrigerant and aperient, and roots, emetic, are also variously employed. The root bark, mixed with honey, is applied to inflammations of the mouth. The bark is strongly astringent and used in the treatment of diarrhea and as a stomachic for elephants. The juice of the fresh bark is mixed with honey and turmeric and given in cases of gonorrhea. It is clear that the majority of the applications of the fruit and other parts are based on the astringent action of the tannins they contain. The short-term effects of tannins appear beneficial, but habitual indulgence can be highly detrimental, inasmuch as tannin is antinutrient and carcinogenic.

An ointment made from the burnt seeds and oil is applied to skin afflictions. The seeds are used in treating asthma, bronchitis, diabetes and fevers. They contain proteolytic and lipolytic enzymes, phosphatides and a small amount of essential oil. Approximately 16% consists of a brownish-yellow fixed oil.

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Bael or Bel or बेल or Aegle Marmelos
बेलको पात शिवजिलाइ चढाइन्छ।
Bael juice is very healthy. It is abundant in hilly and terai regions of nepal .
It has many medicinal uses.
It is a deciduous, thorny tree growing up to 12 m high. Trunk about 50 cm across. Bark grey outside, rough, pealing off irregularly in to small flakes. Blaze yellow Wood hard, dull white. Branchlets often drooping, with straight, stout, sharp, solitary or paired, about 4 cm long thorns. Leaves alternate; leaflets 3 (rarely 5), egg-shaped to elliptic or oblong-lanceolate, thin, pale green on both surfaces, hairless, base with minute rounded teeth, terminal leaflets larger, about 13 x 6.5 cm, lateral leaflets smaller, about 7 x 4 cm; leaf stalks about 6 cm long. Flowers bisexual, 3-6 in axillary racemes, about 1.5 cm long, greenish white, fragrant. Berries ovoid to sub-globose, 5 - 10 x 4 - 8 cm yellow when mature with woody rind and a short neck. Seeds many, oblong, flat, about 1 cm long, embedded in thick orange or flesh coloured mucilaginous sweet pulp.


from http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/bael_fruit.html
Bael Fruit
Aegle marmelos Correa
syn. Feronia pellucida Roth, Crataeva marmelos L.
Though more prized for its medicinal virtues than its edible quality, this interesting member of the family Rutaceae is, nevertheless, of sufficient importance as an edible fruit to be included here. The bael fruit, Aegle marmelos Correa (syns. Feronia pellucida Roth., Crataeva marmelos L.), is also called Bengal quince, Indian quince, golden apple, holy fruit, stone apple, bel, bela, sirphal, maredoo and other dialectal names in India; matum and mapin in Thailand; phneou or pnoi in Cambodia; bau nau in Vietnam; bilak, or maja pahit in Malaya; modjo in Java; oranger du Malabar in French; marmelos in Portuguese. Sometimes it is called elephant apple, which causes confusion with a related fruit of that name, Feronia limonia Swingle (q.v.).

A hard-shelled bael fruit
Fig. 47: A hard-shelled bael fruit (Aegle marmelos), of the type valued more for medicinal purposes than for eating.

Description
The bael fruit tree is slow-growing, of medium size, up to 40 or 50 ft (12-15 m) tall with short trunk, thick, soft, flaking bark, and spreading, sometimes spiny branches, the lower ones drooping. Young suckers bear many stiff, straight spines. A clear, gummy sap, resembling gum arabic, exudes from wounded branches and hangs down in long strands, becoming gradually solid. It is sweet at first taste and then irritating to the throat. The deciduous, alternate leaves, borne singly or in 2's or 3's, are composed of 3 to 5 oval, pointed, shallowly toothed leaflets, 1 1/2 to 4 in (4-10 cm) long, 3/4 to 2 in (2-5 cm) wide, the terminal one with a long petiole. New foliage is glossy and pinkish-maroon. Mature leaves emit a disagreeable odor when bruised. Fragrant flowers, in clusters of 4 to 7 along the young branchlets, have 4 recurved, fleshy petals, green outside, yellowish inside, and 50 or more greenish-yellow stamens. The fruit, round, pyriform, oval, or oblong, 2 to 8 in (5-20 cm) in diameter, may have a thin, hard, woody shell or a more or less soft rind, gray-green until the fruit is fully ripe, when it turns yellowish. It is dotted with aromatic, minute oil glands. Inside, there is a hard central core and 8 to 20 faintly defined triangular segments, with thin, dark-orange walls, filled with aromatic, pale-orange, pasty, sweet, resinous, more or less astringent, pulp. Embedded in the pulp are 10 to 15 seeds, flattened-oblong, about 3/8 in (1 cm) long, bearing woolly hairs and each enclosed in a sac of adhesive, transparent mucilage that solidifies on drying.

Origin and Distribution
The tree grows wild in dry forests on hills and plains of central and southern India and Burma, Pakistan and Bangladesh, also in mixed deciduous and dry dipterocarp forests of former French Indochina. Mention has been found in writings dating back to 800 B.C. It is cultivated throughout India, mainly in temple gardens, because of its status as a sacred tree; also in Ceylon and northern Malaya, the drier areas of Java, and to a limited extent on northern Luzon in the Philippine Islands where it first fruited in 1914. It is grown in some Egyptian gardens, and in Surinam and Trinidad. Seeds were sent from Lahore to Dr. Walter T. Swingle in 1909 (P.I. No. 24450). Specimens have been maintained in citrus collections in Florida and in agriculture research stations but the tree has never been grown for its fruit in this state except by Dr. David Fairchild at his home, the "Kampong", in Coconut Grove, after he acquired a taste for it, served with jaggery (palm sugar), in Ceylon.

Climate
The bael fruit tree is a subtropical species. In the Punjab, it grows up to an altitude of 4,000 ft (1,200 m) where the temperature rises to 120? F (48.89? C) in the shade in summer and descends to 20? F (-6.67? C) in the winter, and prolonged droughts occur. It will not fruit where there is no long, dry season, as in southern Malaya.

Soil
The bael fruit is said to do best on rich, well-drained soil, but it has grown well and fruited on the oolitic limestone of southern Florida. According to L. B. Singh (1961), it "grows well in swampy, alkaline or stony soils". . . "grows luxuriantly in the soils having pH range from 5 to 8". In India it has the reputation of thriving where other fruit trees cannot survive.

Varieties
One esteemed, large cultivar with thin rind and few seeds is known as 'Kaghzi'. Dr. L.B. Singh and co-workers at the Horticultural Research Institute, Saharanpur, India, surveyed bael fruit trees in Uttar Padesh, screened about 100 seedlings, selected as the most promising for commercial planting: 'Mitzapuri', 'Darogaji', 'Ojha', 'Rampuri', 'Azamati', 'Khamaria'. Rated the best was 'Mitzapuri', with very thin rind, breakable with slight pressure of the thumb, pulp of fine texture, free of gum, of excellent flavor, and containing few seeds.

S.K. Roy, in 1975, reported on the extreme variability of 24 cultivars collected in Agra, Calcutta, Delhi and Varanasi. He decided that selections should be made for high sugar content and low levels of mucilage, tannin and other phenolics.

Only the small, hard-shelled type is known in Florida and this has to be sawed open, cracked with a hammer, or flung forcefully against a rock. Fruits of this type are standard for medicinal uses rather than for consuming as normal food.

Propagation
The bael fruit is commonly grown from seed in nurseries and transplanted into the field. Seedlings show great variation in form, size, texture of rind, quantity and quality of pulp and number of seeds. The flavor ranges from disagreeable to pleasant. Therefore, superior types must be multiplied vegetatively. L.B. Singh achieved 80% to 95% success in 1954 when he budded 1-month-old shoots onto 2-year-old seedling bael rootstocks in the month of June. Experimental shield-budding onto related species of Afraegle and onto Swinglea glutinosa Merr. has been successful. Occasionally, air-layers or root cuttings have been used for propagation.

Culture
The tree has no exacting cultural requirements, doing well with a minimum of fertilizer and irrigation. The spacing in orchards is 25 to 30 ft (6-9 m) between trees. Seedlings begin to bear in 6 to 7 years, vegetatively propagated trees in 5 years. Full production is reached in 15 years. In India flowering occurs in April and May soon after the new leaves appear and the fruit ripens in 10 to 11 months from bloom?March to June of the following year.

Harvesting
Normally, the fruit is harvested when yellowish-green and kept for 8 days while it loses its green tint. Then the stem readily separates from the fruit. The fruits can be harvested in January (2 to 3 months before full maturity) and ripened artificially in 18 to 24 days by treatment with 1,000 to 1,500 ppm ethrel (2-chloroethane phosphonic acid) and storage at 86? F (30? C). Care is needed in harvesting and handling to avoid causing cracks in the rind.
A tree may yield as many as 800 fruits in a season but an average crop is 150 to 200, or, in the better cultivars, up to 400.

Keeping Quality
Normally-harvested bael fruits can be held for 2 weeks at 86? F (30? C), 4 months at 48.2? F (9? C). Thereafter, mold is likely to develop at the stem-end and any crack in the rind.

Pests and Diseases
The bael fruit seems to be relatively free from pests and diseases except for the fungi causing deterioration in storage.
Food Uses
Bael fruits may be cut in half, or the soft types broken open, and the pulp, dressed with palm sugar, eaten for breakfast, as is a common practice in Indonesia. The pulp is often processed as nectar or "squash" (diluted nectar). A popular drink (called "sherbet" in India) is made by beating the seeded pulp together with milk and sugar. A beverage is also made by combining bael fruit pulp with that of tamarind. These drinks are consumed perhaps less as food or refreshment than for their medicinal effects.

Mature but still unripe fruits are made into jam, with the addition of citric acid. The pulp is also converted into marmalade or sirup, likewise for both food and therapeutic use, the marmalade being eaten at breakfast by those convalescing from diarrhea and dysentery. A firm jelly is made from the pulp alone, or, better still, combined with guava to modify the astringent flavor. The pulp is also pickled.

Bael pulp is steeped in water, strained, preserved with 350 ppm S02, blended with 30% sugar, then dehydrated for 15 hrs at 120? F (48.89? C) and pulverized. The powder is enriched with 66 mg per 100 g ascorbic acid and can be stored for 3 months for use in making cold drinks ("squashes"). A confection, bael fruit toffee, is prepared by combining the pulp with sugar, glucose, skim milk powder and hydrogenated fat. Indian food technologists view the prospects for expanded bael fruit processing as highly promising.

The young leaves and shoots are eaten as a vegetable in Thailand and used to season food in Indonesia. They are said to reduce the appetite. An infusion of the flowers is a cooling drink.

Food Value Per 100 g of Edible Portion*
Water 54.96-61.5 g
Protein 1.8-2.62 g
Fat 0.2-0.39 g
Carbohydrates 28.11-31.8 g
Ash 1.04-1.7 g
Carotene 55 mg
Thiamine 0.13 mg
Riboflavin 1.19 mg
Niacin 1.1 mg
Ascorbic Acid 8-60 mg
Tartaric Acid 2.11 mg
*Fresh bael fruit, as analyzed in India and in the Philippines.

The pulp also contains a balsam-like substance, and 2 furocoumarins-psoralen and marmelosin (C13H12O3), highest in the pulp of the large, cultivated forms.

There is as much as 9% tannin in the pulp of wild fruits, less in the cultivated types. The rind contains up to 20%. Tannin is also present in the leaves, as is skimmianine.

The essential oil of the leaves contains d-limonene, 56% a-d-phellandrene, cineol, citronellal, citral; 17% p-cyrnene, 5% cumin aldehyde. The leaves contain the alkaloids O-(3,3-dimethylallyl)-halfordinol, N-2-ethoxy-2-(4-methoxyphenyl) ethylcinnamide, N-2-methoxy-2-[4-(3',3'-dimethyalloxy) phenyll]ethylcinnamide, and N-2-methoxy-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-ethylcinnamamide.

Toxicity
The leaves are said to cause abortion and sterility in women. The bark is used as a fish poison in the Celebes. Tannin, ingested frequently and in quantity over a long period of time, is antinutrient and carcinogenic.

Other Uses
Fruit: The fruit pulp has detergent action and has been used for washing clothes. Quisumbing says that bael fruit is employed to eliminate scum in vinegar-making. The gum enveloping the seeds is most abundant in wild fruits and especially when they are unripe. It is commonly used as a household glue and is employed as an adhesive by jewelers. Sometimes it is resorted to as a soap-substitute. It is mixed with lime plaster for waterproofing wells and is added to cement when building walls. Artists add it to their watercolors, and it may be applied as a protective coating on paintings.

The limonene-rich oil has been distilled from the rind for scenting hair oil. The shell of hard fruits has been fashioned into pill- and snuff boxes, sometimes decorated with gold and silver. The rind of the unripe fruit is employed in tanning and also yields a yellow dye for calico and silk fabrics.

Leaves: In the Hindu culture, the leaves are indispensable offerings to the 'Lord Shiva'. The leaves and twigs are lopped for fodder.

Flowers: A cologne is obtained by distillation from the flowers.

Wood: The wood is strongly aromatic when freshly cut. It is gray-white, hard, but not durable; has been used for carts and construction, though it is inclined to warp and crack during curing. It is best utilized for carving, small-scale turnery, tool and knife handles, pestles and combs, taking a fine polish.
Medicinal Uses: The fresh ripe pulp of the higher quality cultivars, and the "sherbet" made from it, are taken for their mild laxative, tonic and digestive effects. A decoction of the unripe fruit, with fennel and ginger, is prescribed in cases of hemorrhoids. It has been surmised that the psoralen in the pulp increases tolerance of sunlight and aids in the maintaining of normal skin color. It is employed in the treatment of leucoderma. Marmelosin derived from the pulp is given as a laxative and diuretic. In large doses, it lowers the rate of respiration, depresses heart action and causes sleepiness.
For medicinal use, the young fruits, while still tender, are commonly sliced horizontally and sun-dried and sold in local markets. They are much exported to Malaya and Europe. Because of the astringency, especially of the wild fruits, the unripe bael is most prized as a means of halting diarrhea and dysentery, which are prevalent in India in the summer months. Bael fruit was resorted to by the Portuguese in the East Indies in the 1500's and by the British colonials in later times.
A bitter, light-yellow oil extracted from the seeds is given in 1.5 g doses as a purgative. It contains 15.6% palmitic acid, 8.3% stearic acid, 28.7% linoleic and 7.6% linolenic acid. The seed residue contains 70% protein.
The bitter, pungent leaf juice, mixed with honey, is given to allay catarrh and fever. With black pepper added, it is taken to relieve jaundice and constipation accompanied by edema. The leaf decoction is said to alleviate asthma. A hot poultice of the leaves is considered an effective treatment for ophthahnia and various inflammations, also febrile delirium and acute bronchitis.
A decoction of the flowers is used as eye lotion and given as an antiemetic. The bark contains tannin and the cournarin, aegelinol; also the furocourmarin, marmesin; umbelliferone, a hydroxy coumarin; and the alkaloids, fagarine and skimmianine. The bark decoction is administered in cases of malaria. Decoctions of the root are taken to relieve palpitations of the heart, indigestion, and bowel inflammations; also to overcome vomiting.
The fruit, roots and leaves have antibiotic activity. The root, leaves and bark are used in treating snakebite. Chemical studies have revealed the following properties in the roots: psoralen, xanthotoxin, O-methylscopoletin, scopoletin, tembamide, and skimmin; also decursinol, haplopine and aegelinol, in the root bark.

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leaves of the plant described above is also used as herb, no? isnt it the same ones used in cooking meat?

no jyapoo,
you are talking about tejpaat

thanks, neupane. what is the english equivalent for 'tejpat'?

Katus or कटुस or Castanopsis spp., SE Asia (Berangan)
गाउँले साथिभाइहरुले त टिपेरै खाका होलान्, शहरियाहरुले चैँ तिहारमा भाइटिकाको सामग्रीमा देखेका होलान्

jyapoo Tejpat is called "indian bay-leaf" or Cinnamomum tamala.I'll post it later in spices...

Katus is a small nut also called chinquapin. It has real unique taste.

from http://delta-intkey.com/wood/english/www/fagca-be.htm
Nomenclature etc. FAGACEAE. Wichtigste Arten: major species: Castanopsis acuminatissima, C. argentea, C. javanica, C. tungurrut. Trade and local names: Berangan, saninten, New Guinea oak (trade); Malayan chestnut, jertek tangga kata (MAL); Philippine chestnut (RP); katia (BUR); ko (LAO); ko, ko-nam (T). Status of protection under CITES regulations: not protected.

Tree. Geographic distribution: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka to Indomalesia.

General. Growth ring boundaries distinct or indistinct or absent, growth ring limits, if present, marked by few rows of flattened latewood fibres. Heartwood basically brown, without streaks. Sapwood colour similar to heartwood colour. Basic specific gravity 0.52?0.6?0.8 g/cm?.

Vessels. Wood diffuse-porous. Vessels arranged in diagonal and/or radial pattern, exclusively solitary. Vessel outline rounded. Average tangential vessel diameter 120?270 ?m. Average number of vessels/mm? 2?18. Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 6?8 ?m. Information on pits refer to vasicentric tracheids only. Vessel-ray pits with reduced borders or apparently simple, different from intervessel pits, horizontal to vertical. Helical thickenings absent. Tyloses in vessels present, thinwalled.

Tracheids and fibres. Vascular or vasicentric tracheids commonly present (vasicentric). Fibres of medium wall thickness. Average fibre length 900?1800 ?m. Fibre pits mainly restricted to radial walls, simple to minutely bordered. Helical thickenings absent. Fibres non-septate.

Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma banded or not banded. Axial parenchyma bands reticulate, fine, up to three cells wide. Axial parenchyma apotracheal, or paratracheal. Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse-in-aggregates. Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per axial parenchyma strand 5?8.

Rays. Rays 7?15 per tangential mm, exclusively uniseriate or multiseriate, also if only few, 1 cells wide (occasionally 2?3 seriates). Aggregate rays present (occasionally). Rays composed of a single cell type. Homocellular ray cells procumbent.

Storied structures. Storied structure absent.

Secretory structures. Oil and mucilage cells absent. Intercellular canals absent. Laticifers or tanniniferous tubes absent.

Cambial variants. Included phloem absent.

Mineral inclusions. Crystals present, prismatic, located in axial parenchyma cells. Crystal-containing axial parenchyma cells chambered. Number of crystals per cell or chamber one. Silica not observed.
Miscellaneous. ? Radial section. Castanopsis fordii.
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sorry i could not find the exact pic of the nut.
anyway it is a small nut with broad base and pointed tip. hard shell needs to be broken before eating.
here is a pic of the jungle with katus trees, u can easily identify the tree as it has huge amounts of white miniature flowers...

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ok i found one pic for you
here is katus or castanopsis spp.

IS this katus is same as it is known A-korn ( I could not get the right spelling) in the US??? there are full of this around where I live!!!

No dalli resham,
a-corn is from oak tree.
if u have watched "ice age", you should have noticed what a huge difference an a-corn can do ;-)

a?corn Pronunciation (k?rn, krn)
n.
The fruit of an oak, consisting of a single-seeded, thick-walled nut set in a woody, cuplike base.
[Middle English akorn, from Old English ?cern.]
Word History: A thoughtful glance at the word acorn might produce the surmise that it is made up of oak and corn, especially if we think of corn in its sense of "a kernel or seed of a plant," as in peppercorn. The fact that others thought the word was so constituted partly accounts for the present form acorn. Here we see the workings of the process of linguistic change known as folk etymology, an alteration in form of a word or phrase so that it resembles a more familiar term mistakenly regarded as analogous. Acorn actually goes back to Old English ?cern, "acorn," which in turn goes back to the Indo-European root *g-, meaning "fruit, berry."
i haven't seen a-corn in nepal, it may exist though.
here is a-corn

Neupane jee, Thank you so much for the clarification about the acorn and katus. Now I know the reality about these two. Than you again!!!!

good information

Great Thread,
Well done by the initiator and really respect if something on Food and Beverage is seen in Sajha.

If Mr. Neupane could write us for our magazine will be great. Specially what can i do is create the recipe out of the Food or Fruits featured. The other aspect from fruits, i can create a cocktail . Few months back i created special 7 cocktails for kukuri rum. Mr. Neupane we would love to have your article feature in food and wine magazine but i will provide a twist by adding recipes out of it.

Please let me know if you are intrested

contact me in c.editor@fnw.com.np