Fauna
Plant · GBIF taxon 5383898

Elephant Apple

Dillenia indica

Also known as Ou Tenga, Chalta, Bhavya

Elephant apple thrives along riverbanks across tropical Asia, anchoring gravelly soils with expansive root networks. Large solitary white flowers with golden stamens bloom during the monsoon, maturing into massive, grapefruit-sized fruits encased in thick sepals. Asian elephants and other forest mammals eagerly feed on the fallen fruits, carrying and dispersing the viable seeds across riverine corridors.

TropicalRiparianEvergreen
Elephant Apple reference1 / 7
Licensed reference(c) Diogo Luiz, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Diogo Luiz · cc-by
—observations
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & prey
  • Autotrophic (photosynthetic)
Predators
  • Asian Elephant
  • Greater One-horned Rhinoceros
  • Wild Boar
ThreatsHabitat loss, riverbank modification, and declining populations of megafauna seed dispersers
HabitatsRiparian forests, stony riverbanks, and moist tropical evergreen woodlands
Life span50–100 years
Classification
  1. FamilyDilleniaceae
  2. SpeciesDillenia indica
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Wild fruits have toxic look-alikes; never eat based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
  • Foliage Inspection: Look for prominent parallel veins that give the large leaves a corrugated, pleated texture.
  • Stream Walking: Search along stony river margins where fallen green globes accumulate after storms.
  • Wildlife Respect: Leave fallen fruits untouched on forest floors to serve as crucial forage for wildlife.
Related species
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