Hovenia acerba
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Hovenia acerba | |
|---|---|
 | |
| At the Kunming Institute of Botany | |
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| Leaves at Hackfalls Arboretum | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Rhamnaceae |
| Genus: | Hovenia |
| Species: | H. acerba |
| Binomial name | |
| Hovenia acerba | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
|
Hovenia dulcis var. acerba (Lindl.) Sengupta & Safui | |
Hovenia acerba is a species of flowering plant in the raisin tree genus Hovenia (family Rhamnaceae), native to temperate areas of Nepal, the eastern Himalayas, Assam, Myanmar, northern Thailand, Tibet, and central and southern China.[2] A tree reaching 25 m (82 ft), it is found at elevations up to 2,100 m (6,900 ft), in wooded and open areas, forest edges, and slopes, and it is frequently cultivated locally.[3]
Like Hovenia dulcis it is a source of a fine hard timber, and the sweet fruit rachis is edible and is used to make a fruit wine.[3] The seeds are used in traditional medicine.[4] One can distinguish Hovenia acerba by its fruits, which are yellow or brownish at maturity, whereas those of H. dulcis are black.[4] It is widely used as a street tree in southern Chinese cities.[5]
