Scientific name: Aegiceras corniculatum (L.) Blanco
Family: Myrsinaceae
Synonym: Aegiceras majus Gaertn.
Bengali/Vernacular name: Khalsi, Koilsha, Khulsa, Khalisa, Kasalong.
English name: River mangrove, Black mangrove.
Description of the plant: A mangrove shrub or small tree, up to 5 m tall. Leaves obovate-oblong to obovate, pale green, margin entire, slightly revolute, apex rounded-emarginate, base attenuate. Flowers are small, 15-20 per inflorescence, white, in ball-like clusters. Fruit a capsule, like curved bean pods, elongated, cylindrical, falcately curved, reddish-brown, surrounded at the base by persistent cup-like calyx.
Plant parts used: Leaf, bark.
Ethnomedicinal uses: Juice extracted from the leaves of the plant is given for the control of diabetes.
The barks of the plant are used for the treatment of rheumatism, painful arthritis, inflammation, and asthma.
Distribution: It is found in the Sundarbans, Chittagong, and Cox’s Bazar (Chakaria Sundarban) districts.
Is this plant misidentified? If yes, please tell us….
