Cordia dichotoma

 Scientific name: Cordia dichotoma G. Forst.

Family: Boraginaceae

Synonym: Cordia premnifolia Ridl.

Bengali/Vernacular name: Bohal, Bohary, Larhora (Bengali); Buhal (Chittagong); Aslia, Kalahuza (Sylhet); Bowl goda (Noakhali).

Tribal name: Chaine (Mogh); Mounononney (Chakma); Mekthing (Lushai); Saagra-bawn (Rakhaing); Bol-mimang, Thakaksum (Garo).

English name: Indian chery, Sebestan, Soap berry.

Description of the plant: A medium-sized dichotomous tree, up to 20 m high with long bole and drooping branches. Leaves variable in size and shape, simple, alternate, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, entire or somewhat undulate or slightly dentate towards the apex, acuminate to rounded, obtuse at the base. Flowers white, small, sessile, fragrant, dimorphic, male and hermaphrodite flowers being found mixed on the same tree, terminal and axillary cymes. Fruits drupaceous, ovoid to egg-shaped berry, yellow, pinkish to nearly blackish when ripe, 1-seeded. Seed ovoid, flattened, embedded in sweet, viscid, almost transparent pulp.

Plant parts used: Leaf.

Medicinal uses: Paste prepared from leaves of the plant, and then the bandage is made on the fractured bone with that paste, lime and a piece of cloth, the bandage should be kept for fifteen days to treat fractured bone.

Leaves paste is applied on the forehead twice a day until the headache is cured.

Juice extracted from leaves of the plant is taken to treat paralysis, rheumatism.

Decoction of the leaf is given in cough and cold.

Cottonseed-sized pills are made from the leaves of the plant are given twice a day (one pill each time) until the paralysis is cured.

A fresh juice extracted from leaves of the plant is taken twice a day (5 ml amount each time) for three days to treat dyspepsia.

Paste prepared from the leaves is applied on the forehead twice a day until the headache is cured.

Distribution: It is found in Chittagong, Chittagong Hill Tracts, Cox’s Bazar, Sylhet and Noakhali.

Is this plant misidentified? If yes, please tell us….