Acokanthera oblongifolia (Hochst.) Benth. & Hook.f. ex B.D.Jacks.

 
  • Family : APOCYNACEAE
    (Dogbane Family)
  • Family (Hindi name) : KARONDA FAMILY (करौंदा फैमिली)
  • Family (as per The APG System IV) : Apocynaceae
  • Synonym(s) : Carissa oblongifolia Hochst.; Jasminonerium oblongifolium (Hochst.) Kuntze; Acokanthera spectabilis (Sond.) Hook.f.; Acokanthera venenata var. spectabilis (Sond.) Sim; Carissa spectabilis (Sond.) Pichon; Toxicophlaea spectabilis Sond.; Strychnos oblongifolia Hochst.
  • Species Name (as per The IPNI) : Acokanthera oblongifolia (Hochst.) Benth. & Hook.f. ex B.D.Jacks.
  • Common name : African wintersweet, Dune poison bush, Hottentot's poison, Poison arrow plant
  • Vernacular name :
    • Seemai kalaa (Tamil)
  • Habit : Shrub or Tree
  • Habitat : Cultivated
  • Key identification features : Evergreen to semi-deciduous shrub or small tree, typically 2–7 m, occasionally up to 15 m tall; Stems variable in size, up to 230 mm in diameter; Bark dark brown to greyish, rough; Leaves simple, lanceolate, narrowing at both ends with a pointed to sometimes rounded apex, measuring 60–120 × 15–60 mm, leathery and thick with raised main vein, margins entire, petiole short, up to 10 mm long; Inflorescence dense clusters in leaf axils; Flowers white with pink shades below, corolla tube slender, up to 20 mm long, petals 5–7 mm long; Fruits large, fleshy, red to purple, maturing to purple-red to black, oval to almost rounded, up to 25mm long.
  • Flower, Fruit : October-March
  • Distribution :
    • Maharashtra : Maharashtra
    • Tamil Nadu : Chennai district, Villipuram district
  • Native : Cape Provinces, KwaZulu-Natal, Mozambique
  • Exotic/Native : Exotic
  • World Distribution : Mozambique to S. Africa
  • Literature :
    • Narasimhan, D. & Irwin, Sheeba. (2021). Flowering Plants of Tamil Nadu: A Compendium.
  • Read more :
  • Permalink : https://indiatrees-ces.iisc.ac.in/plants.php?name=Acokanthera oblongifolia
  • Citation : Sankara Rao, K., Deepak Kumar (2026). India Trees and Vegetation Types. Acokanthera oblongifolia. Downloaded on 4 October 2026.

Distribution District wise

India Distribution

World Distribution

GBIF Distribution

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