Description

• Baheda is a tall tree, with characteristic bark, 12-50 m tall.
• Leaves are alternately arranged or fascicled at the end of branches, elliptic or elliptic obovate, leathery, dotted, entire.
• Leaf tip is narrow- pointed or rounded. Leaves are 8-20 cm long, 7.5-15 cm wide, on stalks 2.15 cm long.
• Flowers arise in spikes in leaf axils, 5-15 cm long. Flowers are greenish yellow, 5-6 mm across, stalkless, upper flowers of the spike are male, lower flowers are bisexual. Stamens are 3-4 mm long.
• Fruit is obovoid 1.5-2.5 cm, covered with minute pale pubescence, stone very thick, indistinctly 5 angled.

Uses

• In traditional Indian Ayurvedic medicine, Baheda is known as “Bibhitaki;” in its fruit form it is used in the popular Indian herbal rasayana treatment triphala.
• It is used to protect the liver and to treat respiratory conditions, including respiratory tract infections, cough, and sore throat.
• It is used as a lotion for sore eyes.