Mesua ferrea

Scientific name: Mesua ferrea L.

Family: Clusiaceae

Synonym: Mesua nagessarium (Burm.f.) Kost.

Bengali/Vernacular name: Nageshwar, Nahar, Nagkesar, Nagchampa (Bengali); Muralia (Sylhet).

Tribal name: Seutump (Khumi), Siprun (Marma), Khutai (Tripura), Tumpao (Murang), Gango-apang (Rakhaing), Naksawi (Chakma), Kaingo (Mogh), Khimdi (Garo).

English name: Ceylon ironwood, Indian rose chestnut, Ironwood.Description of the plant: A medium-sized to large evergreen tree with a dense conical crown. Leaves simple, opposite, decussate, very variable, linear-lanceolate or elliptic-oblong, apex narrowly acuminate, base acute, margin entire, coppery-reddish colour when young, dark green. Flowers bisexual, solitary or in pairs, axillary; petals white; stamens many, orange yellow. Fruit a berry, ovoid to globose, with a conical tip, persistent sepals at the base, 1-4 seeded.

Plant parts used: Fruit.

Medicinal uses: Syrup made from fruit juice of the plant is used to treat fever.

Distribution: This species occurs in Chittagong and Chittagong Hill Tracts and Sylhet, and cultivated in homesteads, planted along roadsides and institutes as a avenue tree.

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