Artocarpus heterophyllus

General Description:

Artocarpus heterophyllus a tall deciduous tree, evergreen10-15mt. in height, and 3.0-4.5m in girth, with a clean bole of 18-20m, found scattered in the moist deciduous and evergreen forests up to 1,500m in the sub-Himalayan tract from Nepal eastwards to West Bengal, Assam and Tripura. It is also found in Andaman & Nicobar Islands and is cultivated. Mainly found at the altitude of 450-1200mt in Western ghat. Bark green or black , peeling off in flakes; leaves 5-25cm. * 3.5-12cm., obovate-oblong or elliptic, pinnatifid, both surfaces varying sub glabrous; inflorescence solitary in leaf-axils, male-heads 15-30 mm x 10-30 mm, ellipsoid to short-obovoid, smooth, female-heads with with pubescent peltate bracts and simple styles; syncarps 6-10cm acroos, sub-globose, yellow, drying to brown, covered by closely set indurated, hispid processes. Because of seed propagation, the existing population of jack comprises innumerable trees differing each other in such fruit character as shape, size and quality.though no varieties can be recognized, it is possible to be divide the cultivated jack into groups by the quality of fruit. Seeds are recalcitrant and can be stored in humid condition.