‘Wild Fruits of Sri Lanka’ by Sri Lanka Telecom

“In Sri Lanka, approximately 120 species of wild fruits have been recorded, with most of them being distributed among the dry and intermediate zones. Some species have been well domesticated in our home gardens such as wood-apple (divul), lovi and Indian plum (ugurassa)… Their usage is spread across a wide spectrum, with some fruits being eaten spontaneously on occurrence, e.g. velvet tamarind, longan, whereas most fruits are preserved for short durations and are subsequently enjoyed by a wider community of consumers, eg. woodapple, mangrove apple.” – Sri Lanka Telecom Calendar 2016 produced under the theme ‘Wild Fruits of Sri Lanka’.

Sri Lanka has been endowed with a rich variety of wild fruits especially when in comparison with other countries. Throughout the years, the harvesting and eating of wild fruits has interlaced with the lifestyles, culture and traditions of people in the country, where large crowds of people would go into the forests to harvest wild fruits. Sadly however, during the colonial era, these traditions and cultures have been forgotten as people adapt to the culture of the western world. Thus, people began to consume more and more imported, cultivated fruits as opposed to the local wild fruits. 

In fact, most of the fruits that we enjoy today are cultivated fruits which have been selectively bred from their wild species or brought in from other countries and as such, fruit production is a business that brings in a billion dollar turnover each year. This is one of the major reasons wild fruits have become extremely rare today – due to the lack of knowledge of their value as well as sustainable harvesting techniques and preparation methods. It is time that the new generations are made aware of the importance and value of these wild fruits of Sri Lanka if we are to preserve these plant species for the future.

Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) Calendar 2016 depicted 12 wild fruits of Sri Lanka, with the aim of “preserving heritage for tomorrow”. Let us take a look at two of the species of wild fruits depicted in the SLT Calendar 2016 during the months of January and February – Ceylon Gooseberry and Wild Mango.

Ceylon Gooseberry (kataebilla)Scientific name: Dovyalis hebecarpaFamily: Salicaceae

Falling into the family of Salicaceae and bearing the scientific name Dovyalis hebecarpa, Ceylon gooseberry is a velvety globule about 2-3cm in diameter, containing about 10 flattened hairy seeds. Green fruits, when ripe change from bronze to maroon to purple. A star-shaped six petal calix is found at the base and tip of the fruit a persistent stigma occurs. The maroon pulp bears a sweet acidic taste. 

The plant is a shrub or a tree-let, about 3-6m tall. Although an endemic plant to Sri Lanka, at present it is commercially cultivated in South India, USA, Hawaii, Brazil, Israel, South Africa and Fiji, for the production of jams, jellies, chutneys and juices. The plant was locally common in the past, however it is rapidly becoming rarer by the day. This species is found in home gardens and forest edges in the drier parts of the hill country. Its fruiting season is from November to March.

Wild Mango (Aetemba)Scientific name: Mangifera zeylanicaFamily: Anacardiaceae

Scientifically known as mangifera zeylanica and belonging to the family Anacardiaceae, the wild mango is similar to a smaller version of a mango and is about 3-5cm long. The ripe fruit is green, mixed with a tinge of scarlet. The seed is proportionately large with a thin layer of juicy flesh surrounding it. The flavors of the fruits range from sweet as honey to sour. Thus the species is differentiated into varieties based on their taste, with villagers naming the fruits differently according to their taste. 

The wild mango tree is very large with a straight bole, reaching a height of 30m. It has dark green, shiny leaves approximately 7-13cm long, which taper towards the base with a round apex. However, in saplings, the leaf is long and quite similar to that of cultivated mango. The trees comprise of greenish white flowers, which are borne in clusters on branched panicles at the tips of the branches.

This endemic species is found both in the wet and dry zone forests in low elevations. In the dry zone it usually grows near waterways and in the valleys of isolated hills. Fruiting season for wild mangos is from June to September.

Wild mango is thought to be the most nutritious of all the different species of mangos. From the leaves to the flowers, fruit, bark and roots are all used for medicinal purposes. It was also traditionally believed that having a wild mango tree in one’s front garden would bring prosperity and wealth to the household.

With the intention of raising awareness amongst the public and especially the younger generations about the importance of wild fruits of Sri Lanka, SLT will be publishing bi-monthly articles on the subject. Join with SLT in the journey of learning about the ‘Wild fruits of Sri Lanka’ and be an active contributor towards “preserving heritage for tomorrow”.