A small deciduous tree with short, erect, cylindrical stem, 30-40 ft. high and 2-4 ft. in girth, bearing thorny branches; leaves pinnate, 3-4 in. long, with small ovate or obovate leaflets; flowers polygamous in lax paniclels; fruit large, globose or oblate, 1.0-2.5 inches in diam. with hard, rough, woody pericarp; seeds numerous, small, compressed, embedded in a sweetish aromatic edible pulp.

Pulp of raw fruit is useful in arresting secretion or bleeding, ripe fruit is refreshing, aromatic, digestive and a tonic, leaves are aromatic, astringent, carminative, gum of the stem has a soothing effect on the skin and mucous membranes.

Wood-apple
AgroForestryTree Database
PIER

An essential oil rich in oxalic, malic citric acid and a concentrated tannic acid (leaves); coumarins, monoterpenoidfuranocoumarin lactone (fernolin); aurapten, marmesin, bergapten and xanthotoxin (root).

Digestive disorders; dysentery, diarrhea and piles, women's disorders; sagging breasts, cancer of the breast and uterus, sterility due to deficiency of progesterone, post-partum complications, children's diseases; bowel complaints, urtecaria and biliousness.

Sharma PV. Classical Uses of Medicinal Plants.