Wild, Indigenous, Native and Under-exploited fruits of Nepal

Ainselu (ऐंसेलु )

Common Name: Golden Himalayan Raspberry

Scientific Name: Rubus ellipticus

Family: Rosaceae

Local Name: Ainselu / Aiselu

Amala (अमला)

Common Name: Gooseberry

Scientific Name: Phyllanthus emblica

Family: Phyllanthaceae

Local Name: Amala

Amaro (अमारो)

Common Name: Common Hug Plum

Scientific Name: Spondias pinnata

Family: Anacardiaceae

Local Name: Amaro

Angeri (अंगेरी)

Common Name: Nepal Pink Osbeckia

Scientific Name: Osbeckia nepalensis

Family: Melanstomataceae

Local Name: Angeri / Kali Angeri

Barro (बर्रो)

Common Name: Belleric Myrobalan

Scientific Name: Terminalia bellirica

Family: Combretaceae

Local Name: Barro

Bayer (बयेर)

Common Name: Chinese Jujube / Chinese Date

Scientific Name: Ziziphus jujuba

Family: Rhamnaceae

Local Name: Bayar / Bayer / Bager

Bhakimlo (भकिम्लो)

Common Name: Chinese Sumac / Nutgall Tree

Scientific Name: Rhus javanica, Rhus chinensis,

Family: Anacardiaceae

Local Name: Bhakimlo

Bimiro (बिमिरो)

Common Name: Citron

Scientific Name: Citrus medica

Family: Rutaceae

Local Name: Bimiro / Bibiro

Chiuri (चिउरी)

Common Name: Butter Tree

Scientific Name: Diploknema butyracea

Family: Sapotaceae

Local Name: Chiuri, Chyuri

Chutro (चुत्रो)

Common Name: Himalayan Barberry

Scientific Name: Berberis aristata

Family: Berberidaceae

Local Name: Chutro, Kirmuda (far-west Nepal), Chautari (Gulmi/Arghakhanchi)

Harro (हर्रो)

Common Name: Myrobalan

Scientific Name: Terminalia chebula

Family: Combretaceae

Local Name: Harro / Harra

Imli (इमली)

Common Name: Tamarind

Scientific Name: Tamarindus indica

Family: Leguminosae

Local Name: Imli / Emli

Kafal (काफल)

Common Name: Bayberry

Scientific Name: Myrica esculenta

Family: Myricaceae

Local Name: Kafal / Kaphal / Hade kafal / Ban Kafal

Katus (कटुस)

Common Name: Chestnut

Scientific Name: Castanopsis hystrix

Family: Fagaceae

Local Name: Katus

Khaneu/Khanim (खनीउ, खनियो)

Common Name: Dropping Fig

Scientific Name: Ficus semicordata

Family: Moraceae

Local Name: Khaniu, Khanio

Khurpani (खुर्पानी)

Common Name: Apricot

Scientific Name: Prunus armeniaca

Family: Rosaceae

Local Name: Khurpani

Lapsi (लप्सी)

Common Name: Nepalese Hug Plum / Himalayan Hog Plum

Scientific Name: Choerospondias
axillaris

Family: Anacardiaceae

Local Name: Lapsi

Mayal (मेल)

Common Name: Wild Pear

Scientific Name: Pyrus pashia

Family: Rosaceae

Local Name: Mel / Mayal / Passi

Nivaro (निभारो)

Common Name: Common Fig

Scientific Name: Ficus carica

Family: Moraceae

Local Name: Nivaro, Nimaro

Paiyun (पैयुं)

Common Name:Wild Himalayan Cherry

Scientific Name: Prunus cerasoides

Family: Rosaceae

Local Name: Paniyun

Pani Amala (पानी अमला)

Common Name: Himalayan Ground Gooseberry

Scientific Name: Nephrolepis tuberosa

Family: Nephrolepidaceae

Local Name: Pani Amala, Bhuin Amala

Sarifa (सरिफा)

Common Name: Custard Apple

Scientific Name: Annona
squamosal

Family: Annonaceae

Local Name: Sarifa / Sitaphal

Teju (तिजु)

Common Name: Wild Persimmon

Scientific Name: Diospyros malabarica

Family: Ebenaceae

Local Name: Tiju, Teju, Tedu

Timilo (टिमिलो)

Common Name: Roxburgh Fig

Scientific Name: Ficus auriculata

Family: Moraceae

Local Name: Ban timilo

Image sources:

  1. PlantNet: Ainselu, Amala, Bayer, Bimiro, Chutro, Emli, Khurpani, Nivaro, Sarifa, Timilo.
  2. Flickr: Amaro
  3. img.everychina.com: Angeri
  4. dhamma-ayurveda: Barro
  5. pallikot VDC facebook page: Bhakimlo
  6. myhimal.com: Chiuri
  7. amazon: Harro
  8. wikipedia: Mayal, Kafal
  9. cnseed.org: Katus
  10. pinterest: Lapsi
  11. alchetron.com: Paiyun
  12. tunza.eco-generation.org: Pani Amala
  13. naturalmedicinefacts.info: Tiju

10 thoughts on “Wild, Indigenous, Native and Under-exploited fruits of Nepal

  1. Sushank

    Is teju really Diospyros melanoxylon? The fruit of this species is yellow, but Teju has green colored fruit. The leaves also donot resemble. Bark is also different. I found this difference when I crosschecked real teju plant with internet images. In Book ‘Non Timber Forest Products of Nepal’ by Prof. Ishwar Chandra Dutta, the scientific name of teju was Picrasma javanica Blume. The pictures of Picrasma javanica blume also do not resemble completely with teju. This has led me to a confusion.

    1. I have mentioned it after cross checking with various plant identifying apps, websites. I remember teju from my childhood memories. May be the varieties/cultivar is different here or more wild type.

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