A deciduous tree up to 25 m tall and 30 cm in diameter with a clear bole for about two-thirds of total tree height. The bark is generally gray, smooth, and 6-9 mm thick when young, but becomes brown and rough with longitudinal fissures with age. Leaves alternate; petiole 0.5-1.5 cm; leaf blade elliptic to ovate, 5-18 X 4-10 cm, papery to leathery, abaxially densely gray to glaucous stellate pubescent, adaxially glabrous except for veins, base rounded to cuneate, margin entire or apically serrate, apex shortly acuminate, secondary veins 5 or 6 pairs, tertiary veins subparallel. Racemes or panicles 3-10 cm; pedicel 5-10 mm. Flowers 1.2-2.5 cm; calyx cup-shaped, 3-5 mm, truncate to 5-toothed; corolla tube 3-4 mm; lobes ovate-lanceolate, 10-16 X 3-4 mm, membranous; filaments sparsely white stellate pubescent; anthers narrowly oblong; style ca. 1.5 cm, glabrous. Fruit subglobose, 1-1.2 cm in diam., densely gray stellate tomentose, apex apiculate to obtuse. Seeds chestnut brown, ovoid, densely tuberculate, stellate tomentose and pubescent.

Antiseptic, antiinflammatory, anti-spasmodic and expectorant

Pediatric Herb Compendium
Earthnotes Herb Library

Benzoic acid, coniferyl benzoate, vanillin (Resin, Exudate, Sap); cinnamic acid (Ay)

The benzoin obtained from the resin of the plant is useful to treat catarrh, chest aches, chest congestion, debility, gastrosis, inflammations, respirosis, sores, stomachache, stroke, syncope and wounds. It also facilitates childbirth. It is also used internally for coughs, colds, bronchitis, sore throat, wounds, ulcers, and mouth ulcers; also for chest and abdominal pain.

James A Duke and Maryl Fulton. Handbook of Medicinal Herbs - 2nd Edition, P: 669, CRC Press July 2002.