Mimusops elengi (Spanish cherry)
| A large, evergreen tree with darkgrey fissured bark and dense spreading crown; leaves simple, oblong, glabrous, leathery with wavy margins; flowers white fragrant, axillary, solitary or fascicled; fruits ovoid berries, seed 1-2 per fruit, ovoid, compressed, freyish brown, shiny. Flowering-fruiting January to September. (Ashok Sheth (Ed.). 2005 The herbs of ayurveda vol.3 Gujarat : Ashok Sheth. p764) |
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रक्ताशोकश्चलकिसलयः केसरश्चात्र कान्तः प्रत्यासन्नौ कुरबकवृतेर्माधवीमण्डपस्य । एकः सख्यास्तव सह मया वामपादाभिलाषी काङ्क्षत्यन्यो वदनमदिरां दोहदच्छद्मनास्याः ॥ ७५ ॥ The red Aśoka tree’s fresh leaves are wavering and Kesara is lovely 赤きアショーカは若葉を揺らし、ここで ケーサラは愛らしく |
Somewhere near the Yakṣa’s home in Alakā. The first is Aśoka and the other is Kesara. According to Kale (1999: 132), “The Aśoka is said to put forth flowers when kicked with her left foot by a beautiful woman” and Kesara “is poetically described as putting forth blossoms when sprinkled over with mouthful of wine by young ladies”. [Reference: Kale, M. R. 1999. The Meghadūta of Kālidāsa. Corrected Edition. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited.] |
(c) Tomomi Sato 2013
Plants of Meghaduta 