Allophylus cobbe ( L.) Bl. SAPINDACEAE
Synonyms: Allophylus rheedii, Allophylus serratus
Common name: Wild berry
Dhivehi name: Dhon’moosa
Status: Common in shrublands
Description: An evergreen, low branching small tree to shrub about 3 to 4 m tall.Trunk is straight with open canopy. In some old and larger trees buttress roots are found at the base of the trunk, which provide mechanical support to the tree. Bark is grey or brown in colour and rough and has a number of small swollen spot (pustular)and air pores. Outer layer of the bark is strongly aromatic and inner layer is fibrous.Branchlets are greyish brown in colour, slightly tapering and with numerous small orbicular air pores. Branchlets are hairy when young. Leaves are compound with three leaflets and each leaflet is 9 to 14 cm in length and 3 to 5 cm in breadth; upper surface is green and lower surface is pale green in colour. Terminal leaflet, which is larger than the lateral ones, is elliptic or elliptic-lanceolate in shape whereas lateral leaflets and ovate-lanceolate in shape. Leaf margin is sparsely curled. Leaves are arranged spirally along the branches and internodes are clearly visible. Inflorescence is axillary (between leaf base and branch), unbranched and its length is almost equal to that of the terminal leaflet. Flowers are small and white. Fruit is a small berry,round, fleshy and red in colour.
Uses: Fruit is edible and the flesh of the berry is eaten raw and tastes very sweet.Wood was occasionally used in the past for building traditional houses and to make bows. Leaves of the shrub, with other ingredients, are used in the treatment of bone fractures and other like ailments. The juice of the leaves is used to relieve rashes.Leaves ground with quicklime is applied with heat to relieve stomach aches. Roots are used to check diarrhoea.
Ecology, propagation and management: It is well adapted to grow in coarse and fine sandy and nutrient poor soil but prefers sandy loam with slightly high moisture content for better performance. It performs well in shade too. Its tolerance to draught is high. It is also tolerant to saline soil and salt spray. It is sometimes found growing as a minor constituent of strand vegetation. It is not cultivated but grows well in the wild. Seeds are normally dispersed by fruit-eating birds. According to some elders, it can be propagated by seeds. Seeds can be removed easily from mature fruits by squeezing them in water. Viable seeds will sink. These seeds are washed again and broadcasted on to the field. However, no attempt has been made so far to raise seedlings in the nursery.