Capparis zeylanica L.

Shrubs, scandent or trailing, 2-5 m tall. New branches with cataphylls at base, densely pubescent with red brown to gray stellate trichomes, eventually glabrescent. Stipular spines strong, sharp, recurved, 1-5 mm. Petiole 5-12[-20] mm; leaf blade elliptic-lanceolate to obovate-lanceolate, sometimes elliptic, linear, or hastate, 3-8[-13] × 1.5-4[-7.5] cm, subleathery, both surfaces with dense thin gray stellate trichomes when young but soon glabrescent, midvein abaxially raised and adaxially flat or impressed, secondary veins 3-7 on each side of midvein and slender, reticulate veins obvious on both surfaces, base cuneate, rounded, or rarely nearly cordate, apex acute, rounded, or rarely slightly acuminate and often with an outwardly bent or recurved 2-3 mm leathery mucro. Inflorescences superaxillary rows, (1 or)2 or 3(or 4)-flowered, near apex of young branches, with flowers often opened before leaf formation and suggesting racemes. Pedicel 0.5-1.8 cm, slightly stout, densely shortly reddish brown stellate tomentose. Sepals 8-11 × 6-8 mm, slightly unequal, outside ± reddish brown tomentose; sepals of outer whorl nearly orbicular, 1 larger, inside concave, apex acute to obtuse; sepals of inner whorl elliptic. Petals white to rarely yellowish white, oblong, 9-15 × 5-7 mm, glabrous; apical petal pair with red flecks on central base. Stamens 30-45; filaments 3.3-4 cm; anthers 1.2-1.5 mm. Gynophore base gray tomentose; ovary ellipsoid, 1.5-2 mm; placentae 4; ovules many; stigma obvious. Fruit red to purplish red when mature, globose to ellipsoid, 2.5-4 cm in diam., verrucose; pericarp firm when dry; fruiting gynophore 3-4.5 cm × 3-6 mm, glabrous; fruiting pedicel 3-5 mm in diam., thickened, woody. Seeds 10-20 per fruit, reddish brown, 5-8 × 4-6 mm. Fl. Feb-Apr, fr. after Jul. 2n = 40, 44.

A tropical plant. It grows near the foothills of the Himalayas up to 800 m altitude. It grows in dry deciduous forest. In the Philippines reported only from Luzon and Mindanao.

The ripe fruit are made into pickles. The fruit are bitter. They are soaked overnight and boiled in water. Young fruit are cooked and eaten as a vegetable. The flowers are eaten as a vegetable. They are somewhat bitter. The seeds of the ripe fruit are eaten roasted.

Plants can be raised from seed.