Scientific Name
Other Names
Life Form
Family
Medicine - The bark, leaves and fruit all have medicinal properties, being a rich source of mucilage and valued variously for their diuretic and demulcent propertied. They are used particularly in the treatment of stomach aches, coughs and chest complaints. Wood - Construction: The wood is tough, fairly strong and seasons well, but insects soon attack it. It is used for house construction and agricultural implements.
Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan
Thrives in the sub-Himalayan tract and outer ranges, at an elevation upto 1500 m. It is found in diverse forests ranging from the dry deciduous forests to the moist deciduous forests and moist monsoon forests.
It is small to medium-sized deciduous tree with a short crooked trunk short bole and spreading crown.
Stem is short, crooked trunk with grayish-brown, smooth or longitudinally wrinkled bark.
Leaves are simple, entire, and slightly toothed, elliptical-lanceshaped to broad ovate with a round and heart-shaped base.
Flowers are with short-stalk, bisexual, and white to pinkish in color, appearing in loose corymbose cymes.
Fruit is edible with sticky flesh mass. It is a yellow or pinkish-yellow shining spherical or ovoid drupe seated in a saucer-like enlarged calyx. It turns black on ripening and the pulp gets sticky.
Flowering: February – April,
Fruiting: June – August.