Rhamnus purpurea

A small deciduous unarmed tree, young branches minutely puberulous or glabrous, old branches purplish. Leaves 5-15 (-18) x 2.5-10 cm, membranous, ovate-elliptic or elliptic-lanceolate, finally serrate or serrulate, sub-acute or acuminate, leaf nerves bearded at the axils, 6-10 pairs of prominent lateral nerves; petiole 1-1.5 cm long. Inflorescence anaxillary cluster of 2-5 flowers,5-merous,green c.5mm across, ± pubescent, pedicel 6-7 mm long, enlarged in fruit upto 9 mm. Calyx-lobes c. 2 mm long, pubescent outside, keeled within hypanthium equalling the lobes. Petals absent. Fruit 6-8 mm long, subglobose to obovoid 3-lobed, 2-4 seeded. Seed heart-shaped with distinct groove c. 5 x 3 mm, black.

Distribution: Pakistan, Kashmir, India (N. Punjab), Kumaon and Nepal.

Fl. Per.: April-June