Flora of Bangladesh

Gaab or Indian persimmon ( Diospyros peregrina , family : Ebenaceae) is a short to medium-sized evergreen tree with spreading branches and dense leaves. Bark is blackish. The nice canopy-holder tree can be seen from Southeast Asia to Australia. It is found everywhere in Bangladesh. At the end of spring, the extraordinary red-brown leaves appear. This is one of the main characteristics of the plant. The entire tree looks great at that time. Leaves are simple, dark green, hard, smooth on upper side, petioled, alternate, lanceolate, 10-20 cm long and 4-7 cm wide. Leaves grow thickly on black branches. Flowers are white, scented, with 4 thick petals; sepals 4. The plant produces flowers in March-April.  Male and female flowers bloom separately. Female flowers usually grow singly from leaf axil while the male ones bloom in cluster on cyme inflorescence. 2-7 male flowers bloom together, while female ones bloom as singles on leaf axil. Male flowers are bigger and whit...

Tomal  or  Mountain persimmon  ( Diospyros cordifolia,  family: Ebenaceae) is a deciduous small to medium-sized tree with spreading branches and blackish bark, sometimes thorny. This beautiful tree is native to Malaysia, Myanmar, Australia and is introduced to Bangladesh and other subcontinent countries. Not yellow, but black is the ripe fruit! Leaves are simple green, glabrous, petioled, alternate, lanceolate-cordate 5-10 cm long and 2-4 cm wide.  Flowers are small, whitish, with 4 petals. January-February is the flowering time. Male and female flowers usually grow singly from leaf axil while the male ones bloom in cluster on cyme inflorescence.  Poisonous fruit is berry, round,  fleshy  2.5 cm across. Half-matured fruits are ye llow and they turn purplish black when fully ripe. Propagation of the plant is caused by seeds. As a medicinal plant diospyros cordifolia is used in the treatment of fever, pneumo...