Sal Tree

Description

Sal Tree is an evergreen tree growing up to 50m in height with a cylindrical bole that can be un-branched for up to 25m and up to 200cm in diameter. It is native to the Indian subcontinent and can be found in East Asia where is serves many purposes. Younger tree has an elongated crown but as the tree grows older, the crown becomes more rounded. It is moderate to slow growing, evergreen in wetter areas and dry-season deciduous in drier areas. The bark is rough and reddish brown. The leaves are oval, leathery, and taper to the tip with rounded or heart shaped base. The flowers are yellow and small, occurring in large numbers in the axils of the leaves or at the ends of branches. The fruits are oval, pale yellowish or green, hairy, comprising an oval seed.

Sal Tree also have some medicinal uses too as the resin is valued for its use in the treatment of dysentery, gonorrhoea, boils and toothaches. The leaf juice is used in the treatment of dysentery. The leaves are warmed and used as a poultice on areas of the body that are swollen. They are also applied to the stomach of children with dysentery. The oil from the seed is used to treat skin diseases.

• Kingdom: Plantae
• Class: Magnoliopsida
• Division: Magnoliophyta
• Order: Malvales
• Family: Dipterocarpaceae
• Genus: Shorea
• Species: S. Robusta
• Scientific Name: Shorea Robusta