Elaeocarpus prunifolius is a species of flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae. It is a tree native to parts of South Asia and Southeast Asia, including Bangladesh, India (particularly the northeastern states of Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh), as well as Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and China.
Taxonomy
The species was first described as Monocera prunifolia by Müll.Berol. in 1849, and later reclassified under the genus Elaeocarpus by Wallich ex Mast., published in Flora of British India (1874). A synonym is Elaeocarpus robertsonii Gamble. The Chinese common name is 桃叶杜英 (táo yè dù yīng).
Description
Elaeocarpus prunifolius is an evergreen tree, typically growing up to 10 meters tall, with occasional specimens reaching 18 meters. Older trees may have slightly buttressed boles. The fruit is purplish, 14–20 mm in length, and is edible.
Distribution and habitat
The species is found in moist evergreen and semi-evergreen forests, often restricted to remaining sacred groves. It is the only Elaeocarpus species found in Northeast India. In 2025, a new population of the plant was discovered in community-managed forests of the Jaintia and Khasi Hills by botanist Viheno Iralu and her team.
Conservation status
Elaeocarpus prunifolius is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (1998 assessment). It is threatened by habitat loss.
Cultural use
Among the Khasi people, the plant is called Soh-khyllameitblang (where "soh" means fruit). The Pnar people refer to it as dieng-ruin or dieng-lakhmar.
Uses
The fruit is edible and harvested from the wild for local consumption. No significant medicinal or other uses have been documented.
