The jackfruit is most probably a native of the rain-forests of the Western Ghats. Jackfruit is a tree which is unique in the fact that it produces huge fruits directly from its stem. In fact, the name jackfruit is derived from the Tamil name palaa. The tree is handsome and stately, 30-70 ft tall, with evergreen, alternate, glossy, somewhat leathery leaves are long, oval on mature trees, sometimes oblong or deeply lobed on young shoots. All parts contain sticky, white latex. Short, stout flowering twigs emerge from the trunk and large branches, or even from the soil-covered base of very old trees. Tiny male flowers are borne in oblong clusters 2-4 in length; the female flower clusters are elliptic or rounded. The largest of all treeborne fruits, the jackfruit tree may be 3 – to 8 ft. long and 6 – 20 ft. wide, and the weight ranges from 10 – 50 kgs. The “rind’ or exterior of the compound or aggregate fruit is green or yellow when ripe and composed of numerous hard, cone-like points attached to a thick and rubbery, pale yellow or whitish wall.
Nakshatra Vanam
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