Rosaceae Week: Cydonia oblonga from Kashmir

[Gurcharan Singh]

Cydonia oblonga Mill.,  Gard. dict. ed. 8: Cydonia no. 1. 1768

Syn: Cydonia vulgaris Pers.

Common name: Quince

Kashmir: Bam tsunt..(the fruit is commonly eaten after grilling)

Small tree reaching 6 m tall; branches purplish; stipules cuducous, ovate; leaves ovate to oblong, 5-10 cm long, densely tomentose beneath, margin entire; flowers white, 4-5 cm across, calyx tomentose; fruit fragrant, yellow, 3-5 cm across, densely tomentose, with persistent reflexed sepals.

Photographed from Balgarden, Srinagar, Kashmir.

There is a bitter memory associated with this tree. When I was about 7 years old and my elder brother around 10, we had climbed on this tree to play/pluck fruits, both on the same branch. The branch snapped, and both of us fell down about 10 feet down. I was totally safe as I fell over belly of my brother, who due to double impact was in bed for more than four months. Perhaps I won't forget this tree.

--
Dr. Gurcharan Singh
Retired  Associate Professor
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Phone: 011-25518297  Mob: 9810359089
http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/

[Neha Singh]

Thanks for sharing this sp. Gurcharan sir.
And more thanks for sharing yr childhood memory. I enjoyed it.
I read abt quince but d live fruit is quite diff from photos I have
seen !

Regards
Neha