Scientific Name
Other Names
Life Form
Family
Food- Young fruits are edible. Medicine- Leaves are bitter and used in treating skin ailments. Root bark extract is administered for gastric trouble.
Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan
Thrives in deciduous or semi-evergreen forests, along streams, at an elevation up to 1000 m.
It is medium-sized tree typically reaching 10 m in height occasionally shrub-like at 2-3 m.
Stem is characterized by a trunk diameter of up to 35 cm and branchlets that are greyish-brown, smooth or rough, with a warty appearance.
Leaves are compound with three leaflets (trifoliate). Large, 8-25 cm long and 1.5-6 cm wide, with a glossy upper surface and a bluish-green underside. Leaf stalks are 4-12 cm long.
Flowers are creamy white, fragrant, arranged in clusters at branch ends. They are about 3-4 cm in diameter with prominent, long purple stamens giving a spider-like appearance.
Fruit is large, oblong or oval, 4-6 cm long and 3-5 cm wide. It has a woody, yellowish-grey skin with a powdery coating that disappears, leaving a smooth surface. Contains dark brown, crested seeds embedded in creamy pulp.
Flowering: March – May,
Fruiting: July – August ( – October).