| Governor's plum Quick Facts |
| Name: |
Governor's plum |
| Scientific Name: |
Flacourtia indica |
| Origin |
Native to Asia and Africa |
| Colors |
Reddish-reddish black, purple (Fruit) |
| Shapes |
Pome, fleshy, spherical, Across: 2.5 cm (Fruit) |
| Flesh colors |
Yellow or white |
| Taste |
Sweet |
| Health benefits |
Cure arthritis, Treats anemia, Colds and flu, Diarrhea problems, Aid for snake bites |
| More facts about Governor's plum |
Flacourtia indica is a species of the flowering plant in the family Flacourtiaceae or Salicaceae. It is native to Asia and Africa. It is widely grown for its edible fruit. Common names include Batoko plum, Madagascar plum, Indian plum, Rhodesia plum Mauritius plum, Ramontchi, Kangu, Governor’s Plum, Flacourtia, Batoka Plum, Rhodesia plum, Botoko plum, Paniala, Ceyon plum and Bilangra.
Fruits are eaten raw or cooked in the culinary uses. It is also used for medicinal purposes. The species of the tree grows to 15 meters tall. The branches are spiny and drooping. The tree has rough, pale, powdery, grey to brown bark. Leaves are scalloped or toothed.
Plant
This is a small tree or shrub that may grow up to 15 meters high. It is an evergreen and spiny which is grown for the ornamental purposes. Leaves are elliptic, ovate to round in shape, scalloped or toothed and 2.5-5 cm long. The fruit produced is a fleshy pome which is spherical and is 2.5 cm in across. The flesh is yellow or white which has sweet taste. Each fruit has 6 to 10 seeds; 8-10 mm long; 4-7 mm broad and is pale brown. Flowers are inconspicuous and greenish to yellow that blooms from December to April.
Health benefits of Governor’s plum
Governor’s plum has adequate amount of nutrients which helps to prevent anemia, arthritis, coughs, colds, snake bites, diarrhea, enhance immunity and cures bone ailments. The fruit has a flesh which contains from 6-10 seeds. It possesses a sweet acidic taste and used to make preserves, jams and jellies. The pulp is white or yellow and mostly used to fermentation of wines. It helps to treat cough, snakebites as well as the infection of throats. The daily intake of Governor’s plum helps to stimulate the levels of blood in the body. So it is good for pregnancy and menstrual bleeding problems.
- Cure arthritis
Fruit helps to prevent and treat the condition of arthritis as it has high amount of phosphorus, calcium, minerals and zinc.
- Treats anemia
The daily intakes of this fruit enhance the level of blood due to the presence of iron. So it is safe during pregnancy and the people with menstrual bleeding problems.
- Colds and flu
It helps to treat cold and flu effectively along with the symptoms such as coughs, sneezing and running nose. It has high content of Vitamin A, C and riboflavin.
- Diarrhea problems
It is the best treatment for diarrhea. One loss high amount of minerals from the body during diarrhea which might cause death and shock. The intake of this fruit helps to replace the minerals.
- Aid for snake bites
The application of the pulp to the bites helps to nullify the poison of the snakes. It should be applied quickly after snake bite and should also be consumed for effective results.
- Cures bone ailments
Governor’s plum helps to stimulate the health of bones. The presence of minerals makes the bones strong during brittle bone disease.
- Enhance immunity
Thiamine and Vitamin A promotes the immunity power of the body. The pulp helps to prevent infections and enhance the immunity of the body.
- Allergies
Governor’s plum helps to eradicate allergy. The intake of the fruit assists in the prevention of skin allergic and respiratory reactions.
http://www.purenutritionfacts.com/flacourtia-indica/
Traditional uses
- The roots and leaves are used to treat snakebite.
- The bark is used as a treatment for arthritis.
- The plant is used to cure cough, bacterial throat infection and pneumonia.
- The leaves are used as a cure for scabies and pruritus.
- Fruits are used as an appetizer, digestive, jaundice, diuretic and enlarged spleen.
- The bark is used for the intermittent fever.
- It is helpful for pitta, skin diseases, poisonous bites, pruritus, strangury, erysipelas, psychopathy and nephropathy.
- The infusion made from bark is used as a gargle for hoarseness.
- The bark is used in Madagascar as a rheumatic liniment.
- The root ashes of the roots are used as a treatment for kidney ailments.
- The leaves (dried) helps to treat asthma, catarrh bronchitis, phthisis of bladder.
- It is effective for phthisical coughs, diarrhea, dysentery, and indigestion.
- In Bengal, it is used for parturition as a tonic.
- The fruit is a treatment for vomiting, nausea and bilious disorders.
- In India, it is used as an antiviral.
- In Sabah, roots used for headaches and leaves for the treatment of colic.
- Leaves are regarded as an antidote for snake bites.
Precautions
- The people who are allergic to Governor’s plum should avoid it.
- It might cause some allergic reactions to sensitive people.
- It should be consumed in limited quantity.
How to Eat
- Fruit are consumed stewed or raw.
- The fruits are used to make jellies and jams.
- Ripe fruits are dried and used as a food.
- It can be used to make wines.
- It is eaten raw or made in to jelly, preserves or jam. It can be fermented to make wine.
- The pulp is used to sweeten pie and cakes.
- It could be stew in sugar and used as a dessert.
- It could be pickled with ginger, garlic and chili oil.
References:
http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/24211
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/103099/
http://www.hear.org/pier/species/flacourtia_indica.htm
https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxonomydetail.aspx?id=17118
http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Governor’s%20Plum.html
http://www.plantnames.unimelb.edu.au/Sorting/Flacourtia.html
http://indiabiodiversity.org/species/show/229763
https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=502628#null
http://www.ijpcsonline.com/files/11-07-16/3-1083.pdf
http://www.stuartxchange.org/Palutan.html
http://www.fruitipedia.com/governor.htm
http://www.worldagroforestry.org/treedb/AFTPDFS/Flacourtia_indica.PDF
http://www.doc-developpement-durable.org/file/Arbres-Bois-de-Rapport-Reforestation/FICHES_ARBRES/Flacourtia%20indica/Flacourtia%20indica_Wikipedia-En.pdf
http://www.purenutritionfacts.com/flacourtia-indica/
http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Flacourtia+indica
http://theindianvegan.blogspot.com/2012/10/all-about-flacourtia.html
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