Bael Fruit Aegle marmelos Correa syn. Though more prized for its medicinal virtues than its edible quality, this interesting member of the family Rutaceae is, nevertheless, of sufficient importance as an edible fruit to be included here.
Young suckers bear many stiff, straight spines.
A clear, gummy sap, resembling gum arabic, exudes from wounded branches and hangs down in long strands, becoming gradually solid. It is sweet at first taste and then irritating to the throat. New foliage is glossy and pinkish-maroon. Mature leaves emit a disagreeable odor when bruised. Fragrant flowers, in clusters of 4 to 7 along the young branchlets, have 4 recurved, fleshy petals, green outside, yellowish inside, and 50 or more greenish-yellow stamens.