Chalmugra or Dalmugri, Hydnocarpus kurzii

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Chalmugra or Dalmugri (Hydnocarpus kurzii, family: Flacourtiaceae) is a small to medium-sized tree having brownish hair in young parts. The tree can be up to 15 meters tall. Bark is almost brown. Wood is very hard. It is mostly found in the hilly areas of greater Chottogram and greater Sylhet forests. The tree is also found in South and South Asia.


Leaves are simple, green in color, oblong-lanceolate, 15-25 cm long 4-10 cm wide, apex acute, alternate, petioled, entire or undulate edge. 


The propagation of the plant is caused by seeds. The evergreen  tree with beautiful drooping branches can be planted as an avenue tree. 


The flowers are pale yellow, single or clustered, pretty fragrant. Flower blooms in the spring.


The fruit is ball-shaped, uneven, grey, hard, fleshy, 5-10 cm in diametre. Seeds 2-3, 2-2.5 cm long.


It is mentioned in Ayurveda as Tubrak. Seed oil is used in intestinal gas, worm, diabetes and skin diseases like eczema and leprosy and is also used for burning. Sometimes its fruit is used as poison for fishes.  

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Parul or Fragrant padri tree, Stereospermum chelonoides

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Parul or Fragrant padri tree ( Stereospermum chelonoides , family: Bignoniaceae) is a medium or large-sized deciduous tree with branches, attaining a height of 25 m. Young shoots are pubescent. Bark is grey.  About this flower, a kind of literary madness has been found for a long period of time among the Bengalees. Although it is mentioned numerous times in Bangla literature, the tree is quite difficult to find in Bangladesh.  The great news is, 5 of its trees are found in the courtyard of Bangladesh Security Printing Press School in Gajipur. India is the original home of the plant. Leaves are compound, 60 cm long; leaflets are entire, 5-11, deep green, glabrous, petioled, elliptic-oblong, 10-15 cm long and 3-6 cm wide, apex acuminate. Flowers are sweet-scented, purplish, yellow at center, campunulate, 3-5 cm long, curved at the base and bronze in color, on terminal panicle; corolla tubular with short petals, petals 5. Flower buds are black and deep p
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Guloncho, Heart-leaved moonseed, Tinospora cordifolia

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Guloncho or Heart-leaved moonseed ( Tinospora cordifolia , family: Menispermaceae) is a deciduous creeper with hard and long stem, climbing other trees or fences. Bark on the stem is as thin as paper. Aerial roots come out of the stem when the plant grows older. The plant is found everywhere in Bangladesh except southern part. It is also native to South and Southeast Asia.  Common names: Heart-leaved moonseed, Guduchi, Giloy, Guloncho, Guroncho, Padma guloncho. Leaves are simple, green, alternate, cordate, 6-15 cm long and 5-13 cm wide.  Inflorescence, growing from the axil of leaflet branches, bears yellow flowers. Male and female flowers bloom separately. Sepals 6, arranged in two rows, petal 6, pistils 3. Fruit is a drupe, brilliant red when ripe. This attractive fruit is inedible to human.                                                            What an extensive climber! Tinospora cordifolia is used in weakness, tastelessness, rheumatis
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Orboroi or Star gooseberry, Phyllanthus acidus

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Orboroi or Star gooseberry ( Phyllanthus acidus , family: Euphorbiaceae) is a small-sized decidous tree with soft branches, attaining a height of  8-10 m. Bark is rough and greu in color. It is found everywhere in Bangladesh as a homestead tree. Its sour fruit is quite popular to children and women. Madagascar and Malaysia are considered to be the original home of the plant.  Other names:  Horboroi, Aalboroi, Noil, Noyel, Royel, Nolta, Leboir, Forfori, (Bang); Malay gooseberry (Eng). Leaves are pinnate, 35-40 cm long, 16-30 leaves in a pinnae. Leaflets are light green, oval-shaped, 7-9 cm long and 3-4 cm wide, alternate.  The flowers are tiny, clustered on spikes, reddish, grow abundantly on branches. Female and male flowers appear separately on the same branch. Flowering occurs at the beginning of spring. Fruits are edible, round, 1-2 cm wide, somewhat quadrangular, green in color, juicy, light yellow when ripe, 1-seeded. It looks a lot like Amloki , a member of its family. The frui
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