Dipterocarpaceae

Native: South India

Systematic Position

Kingdom: Plantae

Phylum: Streptophyta

Order: Malvales

Family: Dipterocarpaceae

Common Names

English – New Guinea Rosewood

Malayalam – കൽപയിൻ, കാരാഞ്ഞിലി

Description: An evergreen lofty tree reaching a height of about 60m. Leaves simple, alternate, spiral and clustered at twig ends; stipules in younger stages lanceolate, to 5.5 cm long, densely stellate tomentose. Inflorescence 3-8 flowered racemes, axillary; flowers white with red streeks, fragrant. Fruit is a nut or samara, crowned by 2 long and three short persistant calyx lobesthat act as wings.

Distribution:  Endemic to the Western Ghats

Uses: The timber is used in plywood. Garjan balsam, a resin, obtained from the trunk of the tree is used as stimulant to genitourinary system and as diuretic, for treating gonorrhea, gleet, urinary affections, indolent ulcers, ringworm and other cutaneous affections.