Description

Sand Paper Tree is a rigid and densely branched tree growing from 4-10 m in height. The leaves are oblong-obovate to sub-rhomboid, 4-12 cm long, very rough on both sides, with finely toothed margin, the tip blunt or tapering to a point and the base narrowed. The male flowers are in rounded heads, 4-7 mm in diameter, short peduncled, greenish-yellow, or nearly white. The female flowers are stalked, usually in pairs, green, the sepals become larger after flowering, and nearly enclose the fruit. The fruit is ovoid, 8-10 mm long, pale yellow, the pericarp soft and fleshy. The seed is ovoid, and 5-6 mm long. Thrue to its name, the leaves of Sand Paper Tree are rough and are utilized for cleaning cooking utensils and as a substitute for sandpaper.

Characteristics:

It is a small, rigid, evergreen tree with latex and grows upto 15 meter  in height. Twigs are hairy and interwoven. Bark is rough grey to greenish in colour. Leaves are simple, alternate, rhomboid, elliptic, acute or acuminate more or less crenate-scabrid on both surfaces. It flowers from January to March. Flowers are dioecious. Males heads are globose, minute and yellowish-green in colour. Female flowers are very small, solitary or 2-4 together. Dioecious plants are to be planted in 3:1 female and male ratio for higher fruit yield. Tree produces succulent large drupes during April to May, Drupes have fleshy base. The fruits are yellow when ripe and single seeded. Seeds are smooth, round, greenish-white in colour and light in weight.

Medicinal Uses:

The root is prescribed as a cure for elephantiasis. Roots are astringent, bitter, acrid, anti-inflammatory, healing, haemostatic, febrifuge and anteseptic. They are useful against vitiated conditions of kapha, ulcers, sinusitis, elephantiasis, boils, haemorrhage, bronchitis, diarrhoea, dysentery, syphilis and hemorrhoids. The bark is  used for constipation and ulcers.