Flora of Bangladesh

Boichi or Madagascar plum ( Flacourtia indica , family: Flacourtiaceae) is a spiny shrub with numerous branches, attaining a height of 2-3 m. Bark is grey and rough. Young leaves and shoots are reddish. There are numerous long and sharp spines all over the body of this leafy shrub. It is found in village thickets, in deep forest and the edge of water bodies in Bangladesh. Globally it is found in many Asian countries, tropical Africa and Madagascar.   Other names:  Baichha, Tamabot, Bunj, Dungkhoir, Beuchi, Kanta-bohuri, Bongkui-kanta, Bon-khoi. The size and shape of leaves vary from ovate to lanceolate or almost heart-shaped. Those are usually 3-6 cm long, having numerous tiny nerves through the blade, deeply dented, blunt or slightly acute at the end, petioled, alternate.  Flowers are tiny, yellowish of greenish. They appear from the node of leaves. Female and male flowers are in different plants. Flowering occurs in the end of winter.  ...

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 al...