Bridelia retusa (L.) Sprengel (EUPHORBIACEAE)
Common names
Sanskrit: Mahavira.
Kannada: Asana, Gurige, Komanji.
Tamil: Mullu vengai.
Malayalam: Mukkayini.
Telugu: Bouthayepi, Dudhi-maddi, Kora maddi.
Description: Small trees, up to 12 m tall; stem with strong conical spines. Leaves alternate, elliptic-oblong, up to 14 x 7 cm, obtuse at base, retuse at apex, brown pubescent beneath; with many parallel lateral and cross nerves. Inflorescence of axillary or terminal spikes. Flowers dioecious, yellow. Calyx lobes 5. The corolla has five lobes, and there are five stamens. The ovary is divided into two sections. The drupe is spherical, approximately 0.5 centimeters in diameter, and black. Each drupe contains one to two seeds.
Flowering & Fruiting: August – November.
Distribution: India: Almost throughout. Sri Lanka, Indomalaysia.
Uses: Wood grey to olive-brown with a pretty silver grain, useful and durable. It is used for making carts, cart shafts, wheels, agricultural implements etc. It is also suitable for turnery and carving. Bark is used for tanning. Bark anthelmintic, antirheumatic, used for treating pain in lumbago and sciatica, promotes fertility; root and bark astringent.
