Benkara malabarica

Benkara malabarica is a thorny and deciduous shrub growing up to 6-7 m high. It has axillary and straight paired spines.

The bark of Benkara malabarica is brown greyish-coloured and lenticellate.

The leaves of Benkara malabarica grow opposite on the stem (decussate).
The leaf is simple, bright green-coloured above and paler beneath. The leaf is coriaceous, shiny and glabrous on both sides.
The leaves have a 5-6 mm long petiole.
The leaf of Benkara malabarica is 4-7 cm long and 2-4 cm wide. The shape of the blade is very variable, from rounded to oblanceolate, the apex is obtuse with a tiny mucro, the base is cuneate and the margins are entire.
The venation of the leaf is pinnate with a prominent midrib.

The flowers of Benkara malabarica are axillary corymbose cymes.
The calyx-tube is turbinate, 5 mm long and 2-3 mm wide with 5 triangular teeth.
The corolla is white and composed of a 4-5 mm long tube and 5 recurved lobes.
The androecium is composed of 5 stamens. The filaments are 0.5 mm long and the anthers are filiform and 6-7 mm long.
The pistil is composed of a 5 mm long style and a fusiform and 6 mm long stigma. The flowers are fragrant.
 

The fruit of Benkara malabarica is a globose berry. The fruit is about 0.8-1 cm across with a 1-1.5 cm long peduncle. It is glossy and bright red when ripe with a crown of persistent calyx lobes. The fruit contains usually 2 seeds.

The seed of Benkara malabarica is subglobose with a flat side. The seed is 6-7 mm across. There are 2 seeds per fruit.