Glue Berry; Small Cordia; Sebastan Tree; Sapistan Tree; Cordia, Small; Cordia; Sebastan. This chapter reviews the many useful characteristics of this underutilized and understudied fruit, including its health-promoting properties. ( Log Out /  α-Tocopherol and the methanolic extract of the Cordia myxa fruit were the present antioxidants. Decoction of the stem bark is taken for dyspepsia, diarrhea, dysentery fever, headache, stomach-ache, and as a tonic. Afterward eating each fruit I was left with the twin sensations of stickiness on my lips and also a bit of coating on my tongue that both lasted a couple minutes before they went away. Cordia myxa (which bears the Assyrian plum) is a common tree in certain Asian and African areas. So I followed a procedure that’s good to do when dealing with an unknown fruit species: I got two different seedling clones from my friend, just in case this turns out to be a species which requires cross-pollination between clones to set fruit. The anti-inflammatory effects of Cordia myxa fruit on experimentally induced colitis was investigated in rats. Within that project, putting a special emphasis on planting and breeding tree crops with a demonstrated history of tolerance to extreme heat will help make our food production to be resilient to the effects of climate destabilization. After eating the first couple of fruits with the skin on, I found I enjoyed them more when I cut the fruit in half and ate the flesh out, discarding the skin. I discarded them. Type: Habitat in Aegypto, Malabaria. Formalin test was conducted in six groups of mice (6 animals in each group) and acetic acid test in another six groups (6 mice). This is a perennial, medium sized tree with crooked stem. So in spring 2019 I set in the ground two plants, one of each clone of the mystery species. Since most of the stickiness seems to be in the inner layer of flesh, maybe it would be possible to simply select for that layer to be smaller, and a greater proportion of the fruit would be the outer layer that has a more familiar texture for most people. The leaves, fruit, bark and seeds have been reported to exhibit antidiabetic, antiulcer, anti-inflammatory, immune-modulator and analgesic activities. C. myxa is deciduous, and its white, hairy flowers bloom in March or April. None of my plants of the mystery tree produced any flowers, which didn’t surprise me since this species normally grows into a tree, and my plants of it were little, never getting a chance to become anywhere close to tree size. Yes, for the particular plant that made fruit, I am going to give it much better growing conditions now. The fruit of Cordia myxa L. has been determined to have the probability of the presence of some Pyrrolizidine alkaloids [9]. Uses: 1. Flowers are short-stalked, bisexual, white in colour which open only at night. The second purpose of the site is to try to build community on the open web, by experimenting with how independent websites can interact with each other in a 'social media' sort of way. The treatment with fruit also reduced myeloperoxidase activity in the colon along with reduced number of inflammatory cells in the colonic walls. The juice of the fresh fruit is given in a dose of 15-20 ml to treat burning sensation of the body and dryness of the body. The bark paste was used for treatment on spider bites and eruptive boils. It grows throughout India except in high hills and temperate climates. This may not only encourage farmers to grow more Cordia myxa trees, but also would promote culinary uses and research into other applications. ScienceDirect ® is a registered trademark of Elsevier B.V. ScienceDirect ® is a registered trademark of Elsevier B.V. Woodhead Publishing Series in Food Science, Technology and Nutrition. Cordia is a genus of flowering plants in the borage family, Boraginaceae.It contains about 300 species of shrubs and trees, that are found worldwide, mostly in warmer regions.Many of the species are commonly called manjack, while bocote may refer to several Central American species in Spanish.The generic name honours German botanist and pharmacist Valerius Cordus (1515–1544). In that layer, the sweetness and flavor become more intense, like a cherry-watermelon candy. This is a fruit tree that reportedly thrives and produces crops in extremely high temperatures and in poor soil, a promising set of characteristics given the forecasts for climate change. It is a drought-tolerant and fast-growing fruit tree with several xerophytic characters such as broad, pubescent leaves; medium size; waxy coating; and partially deciduous nature during winter ( Meghwal and Singh 2015 ). Due to its drought tolerance ability, it is abundantly found in arid and semi arid regions of North and North West India. About a month back both the trees were having lots of fruits on them. I recently got to taste homegrown fruits for the first time of Cordia myxa, known as lasura in India. I assume, like a proper rare fruit growing enthusiast, you planted every seed regardless of having the space to grow them. Domatia are tufts of hairs. The immature fruits are made into pickle and also used as vegetable fodder. PHYTOCHEMICAL ACTIVITY OF AERIAL PARTS OF CORDIA OBLIQUA WILLD. Switching large areas of the world’s cropland from annuals to perennials, especially tree crops, is an important strategy to fight climate change directly – that land will sequester carbon at the same time as it produces food. I have never heard of this fruit; indeed, with so many species of edible fruiting plants in the world, I highly doubt anyone has knowledge of all of them. Finally I had an identification of the mystery fruit. And that’s a great description of the fruit, haha! in Roman period from 2 nd and 3 rd centuries A.D. for its benefit properties is Cordia myxa (Karami, et al. Hydro-alcoholic extract of it was prepared by maceration method. It bears small sized fruits in bunches, used as traditional vegetable and pickles. Based on what I’ve heard of how productive lasura can be under harsh conditions, it seems that this species has great potential. By continuing you agree to the use of cookies. 2010). Analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect of fruit of this medicinal plant was investigated in mice. Cordia myxa fruit locally known as "Bumber" is one of the largest genera in the family Boraginaceae as about 300 species have been identified worldwide mostly in wormer region ( Ali, et al. I’m glad I spotted those buds, because a few days later they opened up into flowers which only lasted a single day. Interesting tree Cordia myxa, I would be interested in trading for cuttings. Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. or its licensors or contributors. ( Log Out /  3. 2. Copyright © 2011 Woodhead Publishing Limited. It is grown on a limited scale, especially in domestic gardens, In the state of Kuwait and other gulf countries, where it is known as Bambar, it is a popular summer fruit that can be eaten fresh when it is ripe or picked partially ripe for processing or pickling. Moreover, prior studies have confirmed the presence of the non-toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloid macrophylline but no actual evidence of the concentration of these alkaloids has been reported [24]. I see you like Cereus sp. So far, neither tree has produced any flowers. Fine oak grain in the twigs. Cordia myxa Lasora Boraginaceae Jodhpur, Barmer, Pali and rangelands of arid and semi-arid ecosystem Ziziphus nummularia Jhar ber Rhamnaceae Arid and semi-arid regions of Rajasthan But the texture of that inner layer is like no other fruit I’ve ever eaten. Celebrating the abundance, diversity, and health benefits of food that grows on trees, Small-scale agroforestry in constant evolution, Discovering Your Ancestors - One Gene at a Time, Divulgando la investigación sobre evolución humana | Outreaching the human evolution research, Ruminations of a paleontology-inclined nerd, Exploring nuts, tree fruits, and uncommon fruits in Michigan, An Online Reader for the Permaculture Community, Food Plants | Ecological Gardening | Recipes | Nutrition. There is a huge tree in Fruit and spice park with this fruit but the label says “Cordia dichotoma”, or Indian cherry. Uses of Shleshmataka: 1. Most of the consumers around the world are now conscious … I was again surprised as the little fruits continued to expand over the following weeks, staying firmly attached to the tree. The information I got was that the tree grows in harsh, dry conditions in poor soil, and people there harvest and eat the fruits. i had the pleasure of tasting the fruit during its fruiting season in F&S and the taste was fantastic, and the texture of the fruit very sexual, almost obsene lol. This hCard created with the hCard creator. SYMBIOSIS :218: Attaching an image of female of a Koel eating fruit of Cordia myxa. Common name. The flavor of lasura is great. Clears Heat:-Heat disease; Biliousness; Choleric (Bilious) Fevers-Chronic Fever-opens obstructions of the Belly, purges gently-abates acrimony of the Humors 2. The genus Cordia shows an occurrence and distribution in areas with tropical and subtropical climate in Central and South America, India, Asia and Africa. Treatments composed of Cordia myxa fruits reversed these colitis-induced changes in the colon, liver and plasma of colitic rats. Hopefully I’ll have some for sale in the future. A decent crop could be coaxed out of a tree in a ten or twenty-five gallon container. We use cookies to help provide and enhance our service and tailor content and ads. Hopefully in the future I’ll get more abundant crops on a larger tree, so I can more fully experience this fruit. It reduced the inflammation induced by intrarectal administration of 4% acetic acid in rats. … At last I could record only one event. However, any content which I have attributed to someone else belongs to that person, and you will need to contact them directly to request permission to re-use their work. Cordia myxa cultivation is not widespread. Anacardiaceae (Cashew Family):  Mangoes, cashew, mombins, jun plum, jocote, wani, etc, Annonaceae (Custard-Apple Family):  Cherimoya, guanabana, custard-apple, sweetsop, sugar-apple, Rollinia, biriba, pawpaw, etc, Apocynaceae – (Milkweed Family):  Carissa, Natal plum, mangaba, pitabu, sorva, Arecaceae – (Palm Family):   Coconut, pejibaye, African oil palm, American oil palm, Butia palm, maraja palm, etc, Burseraceae (Gumbo-Limbo Family):  Dabai, safou/butterfruit, pili nut, Cactaceae (Cactus Family):  Prickly-pear, dragon fruit, pitaya, Peruvian apple-cactus, Caricaceae (Papaya Family):  Papaya, babaco, Chrysobalanaceae (Coco Plum family):  Coco Plum, sunsapote, egg nut, Clusiaceae/Guttiferae (Mangosteen Family):  Mangosteen, mammee-apple, charichuela, imbe, bacuri, madrono, cherapu, etc, Ebenaceae  (Ebony Family):  Asian persimmon, American persimmon, chocolate pudding fruit, etc, Ericaceae (Heath family):  Blueberry, cranberry, sparkleberry, Moraceae (Mulberry Family):  Mulberries, jackfruit, fig, breadfruit, marang, tarap, chempedak, African breadnut, Maya nut, che, etc, Myrtaceae (Myrtle Family):  Guava, Surinam cherry, pitomba, grumichama, jaboticaba, wax-apple, etc, Oxalidaceae (Oxalis Family):  Carambola/starfruit, bilimbi. The species of the genus Cordia are especially included in studies of natural products of plant origin due to their diversity of chemical, biological and pharmacological properties (Matias et al., 2010a, b). sebesten.] Postharvest Biology and Technology of Tropical and Subtropical Fruits, https://doi.org/10.1533/9780857092762.116. The identity and relative concentration of some compounds in the fruit extract was reported and preliminary phytochemical screening was performed. I found the mystery fruit tree propagates readily by cuttings, so periodically I would root a few cuttings of both clones (labeling them “Clone 1” and “Clone 2”). They are given in colic pain, disorders of blood, seminal weakness, and sexual disorders. Fruits of the tree are edible, slimy, and heavy to digest. Lasura seems a promising candidate to include in this effort. The inflorescence carries numerous white flowers. I think that’s a misidentified tree of Cordia myxa, but I can only judge from what’s available online and from your photos… pardon me if I’m incorrect! The mucilaginous drupaceous fruit of two East Indian trees ({Cordia Myxa}, and {Cordia latifolia}), sometimes used medicinally in pectoral diseases … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English Bark of the tree helps in Ama dosha. In the inner layer of flesh around the seed, things get even more flavorful – and also kind of strange. Since this was such a small tree growing in a three-gallon pot, I expected those little developing fruits would most likely drop off without maturing. Taste is excellent, reminding me of cherry, watermelon, and bubblegum. It was exciting to actually got to taste the plant’s fruit after all these years. I tried planting one in the ground, but since I figured it was unlikely to be able to handle freezing temperatures, I located it in a spot with lots of sky coverage from evergreen trees, to minimize damage from radiational cooling on cold winter nights. Formalin test was conducted in six groups of mice (6 animals in each group) and acetic acid test in another six groups (6 mice). Any content on this website which is not attributed to someone else is by me, Craig Hepworth. Cordia myxa L. Linnaeus, C. von (1753) Species Plantarum 2: 190. Externally, the moistened bark is maturative when applied to boils, swellings and tumors. Very little research on Cordia myxa has been published, but the focus of most articles to date has been nutritional and toxicological analysis. The tree, leaves and fruit of Cordia myxa have important applications in different societies and the fruit is known for its medicinal uses. It’s jelly, but with a kind of thick, glue-like stickiness. Fruits can be used as an expectorant, for coughs and for lung diseases. I researched Cordia dichotoma and the fruit looks very much smaller and oblong rather than round in most the photos online. Blaze darkens to a drab olive colour on exposure. Thanks. Ama is the unmetabolised waste that is not utilized by the body. The skin of the fruit has a slightly resinous flavor. Various polyphenols, pectin, vitamins, and minerals present in these fruits have been shown to offer protective effects on human’s health and form key components of the healthy and balanced diet. --According to a study published in “Phytotherapy Research,” Cordia myxa decreased blood pressure, thus acting as a potent hypotensive agent . At least, that is what I do. All the animals were sacrificed 4 days after the fruit treatment. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. What time of year did you find it with ripe fruit? On some of the fruits, I thought I detected a tiny bit of astringency around the seed, similar to (but much less than) the effect when you eat an astringent-variety persimmon before it’s thoroughly ripe. Please check the link in my instagram, i photographed the fruit and the tree label… https://www.instagram.com/p/CBymXlElEpA/ – I’m very passionate about this fruit now and want to grow it…. The outer flesh has a soft, melting texture, almost the consistency of mango, with wonderful sweet flavors of cherry, watermelon, and bubblegum. This tree seems to strongly prefer full sun. He said that the soil there is mostly sand with a pH around 8, with high salinity, and the tree is able to produce fruit without any soil amendments or fertilizer, just water. C. myxa, commonly called Assyrian Plum or Lasura, among other names, is another Cordia species with edible fruit. Any insight into where one might get a plant? Ethanol Those trees have done well, getting bigger than I’ve yet been able to get this species to grow here. Also, the plant that produced these was in a three-gallon pot, which is generally not an ideal situation for a tree to make fruits of the highest flavor quality. A breeding program could focus on reducing the odd, sticky texture of lasura fruit, while maintaining its excellent flavor. The tree keeps its leaves for most of the year. Dull reddish-dark crimson (Fruit) Shapes: Subglobose, pyriform; Diameter: 2.5-5 cm (Fruit) Major nutrients: Vitamin B2 (30.77%) Iron (16.25%) Copper (11.11%) Potassium (10.81%) Magnesium (8.33%) Health benefits: Production of RBC, Prevent anemia, Mental performance, Sleeping disorders, Produces energy: More facts about Cluster Figs Leaves. The decoction of the bark is used for cleansing fresh wounds and wound due to insect bite. Cordia myxa is a plant which is used in tropical regions of the world. Cordia myxa fruit locally known as "Bumber" a plant belonging to family Boraginaceae2, about 300 species have been identified worldwide, mostly in warmer regions3. The person I got it from had more than one seedling of this tree. Cordia Myxa — Sebesten Se*bes ten (s[ e]*b[e^]s t[e^]n), n. [Ar. Lasura fruit has two distinct layers of flesh, an outer layer just under the skin, and an inner jelly-like layer surrounding the seed. But in early May of this year, as I examined the plants of this species that were still languishing in three-gallon pots in my nursery, I was surprised to see that one of them was pushing out a cluster of flower buds. 2015, Bouby, et al. Weed * Stem. One of these plants which is anciently used for its benefit properties in Iran and some other countries, is Cordia myxa. Similar practices are also followed elsewhere. Colitis was induced by intrarectal administration of 4% acetic acid. I’ve found they start readily from cuttings. It is indigenous to China, but is grown throughout Asia and has a nearly worldwide range in tropical regions. You may re-use it without requesting specific permission, as long as you attribute it (“by Craig Hepworth” or “by Florida Fruit Geek”), and include a clickable link to this website (https://floridafruitgeek.com). In mid July, just about sixty days after blooming, the fruits ripened. I used to go regularly, under those trees to record the birds relishing the fruits. Thank you! The location didn’t really help – the little tree still froze to the ground every year during winters that got to 25F (-4C) and colder. Peanuts were held at 35°C for 126 days, and their sensory and chemical properties were analyzed. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Cordia dichotoma is a small to moderate-sized deciduous tree with a short bole and spreading crown. Cordia latifolia (syn. 4. Traditional uses and benefits of Clammy cherry. C. dichotoma, C. obliqua, C. myxa) Parts used: Fruit Temperature & Taste: Neutral, moist, Sweet. The foliage of this tree didn’t resemble any fruit tree species I knew. But the texture is partly familiar, and partly so unusual, I’m still not sure if this fruit is a “love” or just a “like” for me. One person in Kuwait City told me that this is one of the few fruit trees which survives the three months of temperatures frequently rising to 120F(49C). Hydro-alcoholic extract of it was prepared by maceration method. ( Log Out /  Plants are rich in phytochemicals may help to prevent the body’s defense against viruses, bacteria and other causing agents. A breeding program could focus on reduced stickiness while maintaining the excellent flavor. 5. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. A guide to Borneo's 150 species of wild fig trees, stranglers, lianas and shrubs, Two plant geeks, one-tenth of an acre and the making of an edible garden oasis in the city, Nutrition Expertise & Plant-Powered Recipes, The wonders of growing, eating and sharing fruit, Satellite images - sustainability - science communication, An Allotment blog exploring gardening and growing your own produce, Welcome to my world: digging, harvesting and other stuff. the date on my Instagram photo of the fruit is how i keep track of fruiting seasons . sebest[=a]n the tree: cf. Besides, it has number of other uses including medicine, fuel wood and ornamental wood work. This may come as a surprise to you, but I actually did NOT save the seeds from the fruits. Health Benefits of Cordia myxa Cordia species have been used in medicinal remedies for centuries. But the texture, especially in the jelly-like layer around the seed, has an unusual glue-like stickiness. Besides, it has number of other uses including medicine, fuel wood and ornamental wood work. My precautions about maintaining two clones of this tree for cross-pollination turned out to be completely unnecessary – the blooms on that little tree rapidly developed into fruits with no other lasura blooms anywhere around. It grew back reliably every spring, but because it was in so much shade, it never made much growth before winter came around again. Cordia myxa L. locally known as Gonda, Lasora or lehsua belongs to family Boraginaceae. Lasura fruit, Cordia myxa, a promising crop for the world’s hotter future, Cold Hardy Avocados: Guide to Cultivation and Varieties, Fruit and Spice Park: The all-you-can-eat tropical fruit botanical garden, Follow Florida Fruit Geek on WordPress.com, Flying Less: Reducing Academia's Carbon Footprint, Humming Dinosaurs and Nature's Other Small Wonders, Population and Environment in the Middle East. That was enough for me to try growing it. 2015, da Silva, et al. It is sticky, heavy, viscous, slimy, unctuous, wet, cold, sweet, and is the root cause of most of diseases in the body, resulting from excess … Occurrence and distribution. There are two trees at this area. Cordia dichotoma is used in Ayurveda, and Unani system of medicine for treating cold, cough, coryza, fever, and skin diseases. Sapistaan(سپتان)-Lasora (Cordia dichotoma) Medicinal Uses And Health Benefits Lasora ... prolapsed of uterus/vagina, headache, affection of urinary passage, diseases of lungs and spleen. I don’t want to inflict that 15 year wait on anyone, when there is such an easy alternative. ( Log Out /  Since this plant has already apparently passed out of its juvenile phase into a mature, reproductive stage, hopefully it will flower and fruit every year, and hopefully cuttings from it will retain that mature, fruit-producing phase. Around 2005, a friend gave me a couple of plants of a fruit tree which had been introduced from Zambia in southern Africa. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. My entire crop at this first fruiting was the small cluster shown in the photo, so it was not a lot of experience for evaluating a fruit. Twig bark strong and fibrous when stripped. I compared them to photos and descriptions online, and confirmed that this does appear to be lasura, Cordia myxa. C. myxa may be used to treat cough. There is the need to explore possible uses for bioactive or functional components extracted from the fruit, which may find application in food processing or in new products. Incorporating Dutch Cycling into an American life. Most of the plant sources produce positive effect in human beings with recommended dose. I will look for it in my local grocery store (if they even have it). Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Cordia myxa is a fruit grown around the globe for its nutritional and medicinal benefits. Optionally, if you feel like letting me know that you’ve shared something from this site, I get a kick out of that. Hi, I'm Craig Hepworth. The decoction of the bark of Cordia dichotoma is given in a dose of 40-50 ml to treat diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome and intestinal worms. It is thought that this anti-inflammatory effect is caused by the antioxidants present in the fruit (Al-Awadi, 2001). (Bot.) studied C. myxa fruit for its anti‐inflammatory activity in colitis. The stem bark is greyish brown, smooth or longitudinally wrinkled. After the extremely mild winter of 2018-2019, I figured it was worth the chance of trying this species in the ground in a sunnier spot to see if I might get it big enough to make flowers and fruits, so I could finally experience eating it. Lasura seems especially promising because of its adaptability to different conditions – not only does it thrive in extremely dry desert areas (given irrigation), it also grows well and is able to produce fruit in steamy humid conditions like what we get in Florida’s summers. Cordia myxa is a species found in the southern region of Pakistan. It bears small sized fruits in bunches, used as traditional vegetable and pickles. More studies are needed to advance understanding of the fruit’s postharvest quality attributes and characteristics and to develop useful postharvest technologies to help maintain quality and extend shelf life. On that bloom day (May 16, 2020), I was able to get some photos of the flowers and leaves. These are broad, alternate, ovateelliptic shaped. Cordia africana is an evergreen shrub or tree with a heavily branched, spreading, umbrella-shaped or rounded crown. I have never eaten a lasura before, looks sweet. Change ). Al‐Awadi et al. The leaves also yield good fodder. The juice of the fruit … --A 2001 study published in “Nutrition” found that Cordia myxa fruit acted as an anti-inflammatory, remedying the effects of an inflamed colon, liver and plasma. I use this site mainly to celebrate the remarkable potential of fruit and nut trees. I think I saw that tree when I was last at FSP, but it didn’t have fruit on it then. Perhaps can do trade Stenocereus queretaroensis 2yr old selected fruit seedlings (grows well in Florida). The adventures of someone who lives in the bush in a tin shed, is obsessed with fibre crafts and is a little bit mad. On others of the handful of fruits I got, I did not detect that effect. The fruit is a yellow or pinkish-yellow shining globose which turns black on ripening and the pulp gets viscid. 2011). According to the book, “Indian Herbal Remedies,” the man regarded as the father of surgery in India, Sushutra, prescribed Cordia fruits as a coolant and astringent, to be used for biliousness, cough and internal haemorrhage. Two reasons: it took 15 years for first fruiting from seed, and the plant starts very easily from cuttings. Here’s what it’s like to eat them. Increased production of this crop would help to enhance the nutritional status of many people, especially in Asia and Africa where the tree is cultivated, and at the same time introduce the fruit to new markets around the world. Fruits of lasura, Cordia myxa. But, it seems like this is a plant that would be worth container growing for fruit, since you did get it to successfully fruit in a three gallon pot. It usually grows 4 - 15 metres tall, … Cordia myxa is a plant which is used in tropical regions of the world. Sp. I posted a pic to my Instagram stories, asking if anyone recognized it, and several people responded that it looked like a fruit in the Boraginaceae, Cordia myxa, which is called lasura fruit in India. On a personal note, getting to taste these fruits was a bit of triumph for me, because I’ve been growing this species for about 15 years without having any idea what it was. Colitis was monitored histologically and by activity of myeloperoxidase. Analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect of fruit of this medicinal plant was investigated in mice. Despite the odd texture, that flesh is so tasty I found myself sucking every last bit of it off the small, flattened seed. All rights reserved.