A large, deciduous, straight-stemmed tree with spreading branches and a heavy crown; bark grey to black, with deep longitudinal fissures and transverse cracks; young twigs often clothed with yellowish-brown pubescence. Leaves subopposite, thinly coriaceous, pubescent beneath, elliptic-lanceolate or ovat, 13 to 23 cm long and about 8 cm wide, acute at apex. Flowers dull yellow or greenish-white, borne in terminal and axillary branched spikes; bracteoles linear; calyx villous with yellowish hairs. Fruits 3.8 to 6.5 cm long, with 5 broad, coriaceous, equal, horizontally-veined wings.

The bark is bitter, styptic, diuretic and cardiotonic.

AgroForestryTree Database

Oligosaccharides, disaccharides and monosaccharides (after gum hydrolysis); beta-sitosterol (fruit and leaf); betulinic acid (bark, heart wood).

For ulcers, bronchitis, atonic diarrhea, to treat bone fractures and haemorrhages (bark); for atonic diarrhoea and is used as a local application for relief of weak, indolent ulcers (bark decoction).

Chandel et al., Biodiversity in Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in India.