Botanical Name

Elaeagnusconferta

Family

Elaeagnaceae

Snskrit name

Unknown

English name

Wild Olive, Bastard Oleaster, Snake Fruit.

Hindi

Unknown

Kannada

Halage hannu

Habit

Climber

Habitat

Dense forests, Bamboo and mixed deciduous forests, also in evergreen forests.

Plant Description

It is a thorny climbing shrub. Leaf blades are elliptic to elliptic-oblong, lower surface with densescales, silvery and/or scattered, brownish, upper surface smooth. Inflorescence 8-flowered.Flowers greenish white or yellowish, with silvery scales. Fruit is orange red ovate.

Distribution

South East Asia

Part used

Fruit, flower, leaves

Medicinal uses

Used in constipation.

Other uses

Fruits are edible. They are rich in minerals,proteins and vitamins.

Ecological Significance

The plant is traditionally grown in living fences in the northwestern Himalayas, where it helps to exclude livestock and other animals; mark out land boundaries.