Gin berry - Glycosmis pentaphylla

Common Name :	Gin berry, Orangeberry, Rum berry.
Binomial Name :	Glycosmis pentaphylla
Family :	Rutaceae
Bangla Name :	Ash Sheora, Motkila, Daton.
Photo Taken :	Bangladesh

Name of the plant is Orangeberry, Gin berry, Rum berry. It grows here and there without any care and most of the times remain unnoticed. Binomial name of the plant is Glycosmis pentaphylla. It belongs to the plant family Rutaceae (lemon family). This plant is native to South Asia, Southeast Asia, Northern Australia region.

Gin berry (Glycosmis pentaphylla) is a shrubby plant which sometimes can grow as a small tree. Leathery (sometimes slightly glossy) leafs of the plant are elliptic shaped. Young leafs are light green in colour and turns into dark green when mature. This plant grows without any care mostly in unused lands, roadsides, etc places. It is mostly seen growing with other plants, hence remains unnoticed.

Unripe fruit of Gin berry. It becomes pink and translucent when ripen.

Flowers of Gin berry (Glycosmis pentaphylla) are white and lemon-like. Small flowers bloom in a cluster more or less throughout the year. Each flower is having five white petals. Fruits are round shaped and become translucent when ripen (pink colored). Fruit has a gooey fluid inside (with a single round seed), and has a nice fragrance. In some countries this plant is grown for its edible fruits. Taste of the fruit is sweet with slightly bitter flavour.

This is a medicinal plant with plenty of benefits. In past people used this plant to treat jaundice, arthritis, etc. People used to make toothbrush using the stem of the plant in past (when commercial toothbrush was not widely available).


Photos of Gin berry (Glycosmis pentaphylla) were taken from Pabna during September 2012. It was near the Hardinge bridge in Pakshi. In Bangladesh this plant is known as Ash Sheora (আশশেওড়া), Motkila (মটকিলা), Daton (দাঁতন). In India this plant is known as Ban nimbu.


Written by Lonely Traveler,
For blog icflora.blogspot.com