Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn.) Roxb.

Myrobalan (en)

Species

Angiosperms > Myrtales > Combretaceae > Terminalia

Characteristics

Trees deciduous, to 35 m tall; trunk to 1 m d.b.h., with large buttresses. Bark gray, longitudinally ridged. Branchlets with conspicuous, spirally ascending leaf scars. Leaves spiraled, crowded into pseudowhorls at apices of branchlets; petiole 3-9 cm, glabrous but ferruginous tomentose when young, especially at base, with 2 glands above middle; leaf blade glossy, obovate, 18-26 × 6-12 cm, both surfaces glabrous except ferruginous tomentose when young, base obtuse-rounded or attenuate, apex obtuse or mucronate; lateral veins in 5-8 pairs. Inflorescences axillary, simple spikes, 5-18 cm, often grouped at branchlet apex and forming a panicle; axis densely ferruginous tomentose. Calyx tube distally shallowly cupular, 4-5 mm, abaxially tomentose, adaxially long villous; lobes 5. Stamens 10, exserted, 4-5 mm. Fruit shortly stipitate, subglobose to broadly ellipsoid or ovoid, weakly to strongly 5-ridged, 2-3 × 1.8-2.5 cm, densely and finely velutinous or sericeous; stipe ca. 2 mm. Fl. Mar-Apr, fr. May-Jul. 2n = 48.
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A tall tree which loses its leaves during the year. It grows to 50 m tall and can be 3.5 m across. As a young tree it is narrow, upright and compact but develops buttresses and becomes more spreading with age. The branches come out in layers and are short. Young leaves can be bronze and old leaves turn bright red before falling. The leaves have long stalks. They are alternate. They are 9-26 cm long by 5-14 cm wide. They are mostly at the ends of branches. They are oval and leathery. The base is narrowed and unequal. The flowers do not have stalks. They are yellowish and in slender spikes in the axils of leaves. They have a strong odour. The fruit is oval and has a hard covering over the seed. It is woody and 2-3 cm across. The fruit is covered with brownish velvety hairs.
Life form perennial
Growth form tree
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention deciduous
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination entomogamy
Spread -
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) 35.0
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Fruit color
Fruiting months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway c3

Environment

A tropical plant. In Nepal is grows to about 1100 m altitude. They are common in mixed forests throughout India. It grows in areas with a rainfall between 90-300 cm. It can tolerate most soils. It does best in deep sandy loams that are well drained. It can tolerate drought and withstand frosts. In southern China it grows between 540-1,350 m altitude. In XTBG Yunnan.
More
Scattered forests, sunny mountain slopes, one of the upper layer trees of stream valleys and lower seasonal rain forests at elevations of 500-1,400 metres.
Light 7-9
Soil humidity 2-6
Soil texture 2-5
Soil acidity -
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 10-11

Usage

CAUTION: The kernels although eaten may have poisonous affects. It is probably the fruit that have a purgative effect. The kernels are eaten in small amounts after roasting. They taste like almonds. The fruit are used for making preserves. They can be eaten raw but are bitter. The bark is fermented into a type of wine.
Uses animal food bee plant charcoal dye food fuel gene source gum material medicinal oil poison timber wood
Edible fruits gums nuts seeds
Therapeutic use Allergens (bark), Anemia (bark), Antiemetics (bark), Asthma (bark), Common cold (bark), Cough (bark), Diuretics (bark), Hoarseness (bark), Urination disorders (bark), Vitiligo (bark), Allergens (fruit), Hair loss (fruit), Analgesics (fruit), Anemia (fruit), Antacids (fruit), Anthelmintics (fruit), Anti-bacterial agents (fruit), Antiemetics (fruit), Antipyretics (fruit), Asthenia (fruit), Asthma (fruit), Astringents (fruit), Avian myeloblastosis virus (fruit), Brain diseases (fruit), Bronchitis (fruit), Cathartics (fruit), Common cold (fruit), Conjunctivitis (fruit), Constipation (fruit), Cough (fruit), Diarrhea (fruit), Disinfectants (fruit), Dysentery (fruit), Dyspepsia (fruit), Edema (fruit), Expectorants (fruit), Eye diseases (fruit), Fever (fruit), Flatulence (fruit), Gastrointestinal diseases (fruit), Graves ophthalmopathy (fruit), Hair dyes (fruit), Headache (fruit), Hematologic diseases (fruit), Hemorrhage (fruit), Hemorrhoids (fruit), Hemostasis (fruit), Hemostatics (fruit), HIV-1 (fruit), Hoarseness (fruit), Inflammation (fruit), Jaundice (fruit), Laxatives (fruit), Leprosy (fruit), Leukorrhea (fruit), Liver diseases (fruit), Myocardial depressant factor (fruit), Neoplasms (fruit), Nasal disease (fruit), Pain (fruit), Pharyngitis (fruit), Pulmonary eosinophilia (fruit), General tonic for rejuvenation (fruit), Skin diseases (fruit), Sleep initiation and maintenance disorders (fruit), Spermatocidal agents (fruit), Splenomegaly (fruit), Thirst (fruit), Tuberculosis (fruit), Ulcer (fruit), Urination disorders (fruit), Vomiting (fruit), Wounds and injuries (fruit), Antiemetics (rhizome), Hair loss (seed), Hair diseases (seed), Hair dyes (seed), Narcotics (seed), Pain (seed), Skin diseases (seed), Thirst (seed), Urinary calculi (seed), Vomiting (seed), Bite(Snake) (unspecified), Fever (unspecified), Measles (unspecified), Myalgia (unspecified), Parturition (unspecified), Spasm (unspecified), Dysuria (unspecified), Narcotic (unspecified), Astringent (unspecified), Cholera (unspecified), Respiratory (unspecified), Tumor(Abdomen) (unspecified), Immunostimulant (unspecified), Aging (unspecified), Hair loss (unspecified), Analgesics (unspecified), Anemia (unspecified), Anorexia (unspecified), Antiemetics (unspecified), Anti-inflammatory agents (unspecified), Antipyretics (unspecified), Antirheumatic agents (unspecified), Arthritis (unspecified), Ascites (unspecified), Astringents (unspecified), Cough (unspecified), Dyspepsia (unspecified), Edema (unspecified), Disorder of ejaculation (unspecified), Eye diseases (unspecified), Gout (unspecified), Hair diseases (unspecified), Headache (unspecified), Hemostasis (unspecified), Hoarseness (unspecified), Hypoglycemic agents (unspecified), Laxatives (unspecified), Leprosy (unspecified), Liver diseases (unspecified), Nootropic agents (unspecified), Increase physical endurance, strength and stamina (unspecified), General tonic for rejuvenation (unspecified), Respiratory tract infections (unspecified), Skin diseases (unspecified), Vitiligo (unspecified), Anthelmintics (whole plant), Anti-infective agents (whole plant), Appetite stimulants (whole plant), Cataract (whole plant), Chronic disease (whole plant), Corneal opacity (whole plant), Eye diseases (whole plant), Flatulence (whole plant), Hemorrhoids (whole plant), Myopia (whole plant), Thirst (whole plant)
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Plants are grown from seed. It helps to soak seeds in warm water for 24-36 hours before planting. The whole fruit is sown and if kept watered germinates in 1-2 months. Fruit fed to cattle allow the seed to pass through and these germinate quickly. Plants are best at a spacing of 5 m. It can be grown from stem cuttings of 1 year old branches with 2-3 nodes. Rooting hormone helps.
Mode seedlings
Germination duration (days) -
Germination temperacture (C°) -
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment soaking
Minimum temperature (C°) 1
Optimum temperature (C°) 20 - 33
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Flower

Terminalia bellirica flower picture by Dr Ashwathanarayana Rao (cc-by-sa)

Distribution

Terminalia bellirica world distribution map, present in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Fiji, Honduras, Indonesia, India, Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mozambique, Mauritius, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Viet Nam, and South Africa

Conservation status

Terminalia bellirica threat status: Least Concern

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:170982-1
WFO ID wfo-0001296467
COL ID 55G2C
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID 447088
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Myrobalanus bellirica Terminalia biticaria Terminalia punctata Terminalia eglandulosa Myrobalanus punctata Terminalia attenuata Terminalia gella Buceras bellirica Myrobalanus laurinoides Terminalia bellirica Terminalia bellirica var. laurinoides