Common name: Ceylon Satinwood, East Indian Satinwood, Buruta • Hindi: Bhirra, Bhivia, Dhoura, Girya • Marathi: Behru, Halda, Bheria, Hulda • Tamil: Vaaimaram or porasu, Mammarai, Porinja maram • Malayalam: വരിമരമ് Varimaram • Telugu: billu, billydu, billudu, bella • Kannada: bittulla, huragalu, hurihuli, masula • Oriya: bheru gatcho • Sanskrit: bhillotaka, bimbilota
Botanical name: Chloroxylon swietenia Family: Rutaceae (Citrus family) Synonyms: Swietenia chloroxylon
Ceylon Satinwood is a hardwood tree, native to south India and Sri Lanka.
Ceylon Satinwood is a medium-sized deciduous tree, growing to 15-20 m
tall, with thick, fissured, slightly corky bark. Alternately arranged
leaves are 15-22 cm long, pinnately divided into 10-20 pairs of oblong,
blunt leaflets. The flowers are small, creamy-white, produced in panicles
10-20 cm long. Buds are round. the fruit is an oblong three-segmented
capsule 2.5-4.5 cm long, containing 1-4 seeds in each segment. The wood
produced by the tree is often a golden colour with a reflective sheen. It
is used for small luxury items and as a veneer in wooden furniture. It is
one of the best-known satinwoods.
Medicinal uses:  Ceylon Satinwood is used in folk medicine in
Chhattisgarh. In case of a problematic wound, the dried leaves of
Ceylon Satinwood are applied on wound in order to increase the healing process.
Identification credit: Prashant Awale
| Photographed in Pench, Madhya Pradesh. |
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