Himalayan Cherry Prinsepia, bhikal, bekkra, bhekal, cherara, dhatila (Hindi), dieng shiahmiaw, shia sohkaw, diengsla sohmon (Khasi)

Scientific Name

Prinsepia utilis Royle

Other Names

Dhatelo, bhekaalee

Life Form

Herb

Family

Rosaceae

Image by - Saroj Kasaju

Usages

Food - The fruit is eaten raw or cooked. Medicine - The seed oil is used as a massage oil for headaches, boils, rheumatism, acne, stomach pain, and muscular pain

Native to

Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan

Habitat

Temperate biome.

Conservation Status

Not evaluated

Plant Description

Perennial shrub growing upto 1-5m tall.

Grayish green, robust, with branchlets ranging from green to grayish green, angled, and brown velvety to hairless. Up to 3.5 cm long spines are present.

Leaves alternate, ovate-lanceolate, margin toothed, 3.5-9cm long and 1.5-3 cm.

White color, borne in clusters (racemes) in leaf axils or on short branchlets (3-6 cm)

Color purplish brown to blackish purple. Shape oblong to obovoid-oblong. Size about 8 mm in diamete.

Phenology

Flowering: April-May