Scientific Name
Other Names
Life Form
Synonyms
Family
Cultural/Religious - Fruits contain a hard and highly ornamental stony endocarp known as bead. Medicine - It also has an important position in Ayurveda. Ornamental - It is planted as ornamental tree.
Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal
It occurs naturally in tropical and subtropical wet forests at altitudes of 700-1700 m asl.
Holds cultural and spiritual significance in Hinduism and Buddhism. Its seeds are considered sacred by some communities.
Evergreen tree, reaching up to 30 meters tall with a dense, spreading canopy.
The main trunk is a single, cylindrical woody structure with distinguishing grayish-white bark. Texture is rough and coarse.
Leaves are simple, glabrous, oblong-lanceolate, sub-entire or irregularly crenate, acute or acuminate.
White or yellow colored, in dense racemes and mostly from axils of fallen leaves, fringed petals, anthers are linear.
Fruits are round or oval, small, violet or blue colored and acidic in taste.
Flowering: April – May
Fruiting: June – October