tikshnaksha :

Plants growing in a herbal garden in southern India Photograph by: Thamizhpparithi Maari

Geographical distribution:

Toddalia is native of tropical Asia from India and SriLanka to Malaysia; also available in Mauritius and Madagaskar. It is also found in Sumatra, Java, China, Philippines, tropical Africa, Mascarene Islands. It is found almost throughout India upto an altitude of 2500 m. It is common in the Nilgiri and Palni Hills and in the shrub forests of Orissa. It is also found in Mantur, Godavari agency, Mamandur, Sunkarimetta, Tirumala Hills, Satyavedu, Karka, Bhimavaram, Balapalli, Circars areas of

Andhra Pradesh.

ECOLOGICAL ASPECT:

Forests near rivers or streams. Thickets and forests near coasts, especially in calcareous regions, in southern Japan. Humid forests, from sea-level up to 2300 metres

Bees pollinate the flowers and birds and monkeys disperse the seeds. Birds love the fruit and therefore the seeds are carried over large areas.