Polyalthia cerasoides (Roxb.) Bedd.
Family – Annonaceae
Local name – Champati (Odia)
Habit – Tree
Habitat – Moist areas
Location – Mayurbhanj, Odisha
Date – 29/6/21
IPNI – Polyalthia cerasoides (Roxb.) Hook.f. & Thomson, Fl. Brit. India [J. D. Hooker] 1(1): 63 (1872).
(Photo credit – Rajkumari Supriya Devi Ma’am)
Morphology
🌼Medium sized evergreen trees
🌼Bark black or pale grey
🌼Leaves are simple & alternate
🌼Fruits are in clusters of 1-seeded berry
Medicinal uses
Stem bark is used as a folk medicine by the tribal people of North Odisha to treat diabetes.
Reference
◾Tekuri SK, Pasupuleti SK, Konidala KK, Pabbaraju N. (2019) Pharmacological effects of Polyathia cerasoides (Roxb.) Bedd.: A brief review. Journal of complementary medicine research. 10(1): 38-49.
(Biodiversity and Conservation Lab., Ambika Prasad Research Foundation, Cuttack, Odisha)