FoI
Blackboard Tree
Share Foto info
Blackboard Tree
ative Photo: Tabish
Common name: Blackboard Tree, Scholar Tree, Dita bark, Devil tree • Adi: Pumlor, Sing-Gar-Asing, Singar, Singgler • Ahom: Maai-Tang, ছতিয়ানা Satiana • Assamese: বহুপৰ্ণী Bohuporni, ছৈতেন্ Chhaiten, চতিয়না Sotiyana, সপ্তচ্ছদ Xoptossod, সপ্তপত্ৰ Xoptopotro, সপ্তপৰ্ণী Xoptoporni • Apatani: Tayesangne • Bengali: ছাতিম Chhatim • Bhojpuri: चटवन Chatwan • Bodo: Sataona, Sitona • Dogri: सत्त पत्तरा Satt Pattra • Garo: Bor-Chhak-Chhan, Sokchuan, Sokson • Gujarati: સપ્તપર્ણ Saptaparna, સાતવીન Satvin • Hajong: Saitani • Haryanvi: सप्तपर्णी Saptaparni • Hindi: बहुपुत्र Bahuputra, चतवन Chatawan, चितवन Chitvan, दलेगन्धि Dale-Gandhi, देववृक्ष Dev-Vriksh, सप्तपर्णी Saptaparni, शैतान का झाड़ Shaitan Ka Jhar, शारदी Sharadi, विन्याक Vinyak • Jharua: Satiana • Kachari: Bon-Khlang-Phang, Bong-Khlong • Kachchhi: સપ્તપર્ણી Sapt Parni • Kannada: ಅಸಮಚ್ಛದ Asamacchada, ಬಂತಲೆ Bantale, ಏೞೆಲೆವಾೞೆ Elelevaale, ಹಾಲೆ Haale, ಜಂತಾಲೆ ಮರ Jantaale Mara, ಕೋಡಾಲೆ Kodaale, ಮದ್ದಾಲೆ Maddaale, ಪಾಲೆ Paale, ಸಪ್ತಚ್ಛದ Saptacchada, ಸಪ್ತಪರ್ಣಿ Saptaparni • Karbi: Thengmu-Arong, Thengnu, Thengpei-Recho-Arong • Khasi: Dieng-Ryteng, Dieng-Rytten • Koch: ছতিয়াল পান Satiyal Pan • Kokborok: Letuang • Kol: Kunumung • Konkani: सांतवीण Samtvin • Kuki: Chong-Pereng • Kumaoni: चटियान Chatian, सप्तपर्ण Saptaparna, शैतान Shaitan • Lepcha: Purvok Koong • Maithili: चतवन Chatwan • Malayalam: ദൈവപ്പാല Daivappaala, ഏഴിലന്പാല Ezhilanpaala, മംഗലപ്പാല Mangalappaala, യക്ഷിപ്പാല Yakshippaala • Marathi: सप्तपर्ण Saptaparna, सातवीण Satvin • Mech: Sethona • Mishing: Satiyana, Sing-Gar-Asing, Singgir, Souti-Asing • Mizo: Thuam-Riat • Nepali: छतिवन Chhatiwan, छलामैन Chhalaamain, पालिमारा Paalimaaraa • Nyishi: Papuk Siin, Tabiang, Tai Sen, Taisan, Taye Sangne • Odia: ବିଷମଚ୍ଛଦ Bishamachchhada, ଛଚିନା Chhachina, ଛତିଆନା Chhatiana, ଗୁଚ୍ଛପୁଷ୍ପ Guchchhapushpa, ମୁନିଚ୍ଛଦ Munichchhada, ଶାଳ୍ମଳିପତ୍ରକ Shalmalipatraka, ସପ୍ତଚ୍ଛଦ Shaptachchadda, ଶାରଦ Sharada • Pahari: चातीवन Chatiwan, चटीडू Chatidu, छत्याल Chhatyal • Punjabi: ਸਤੌਨਾ Satouna • Rajasthani: सप्तपर्णी Saptparni • Sanskrit: अन्तिका Antika, अयुगच्छद Ayugacchada, अयुक्छद Ayukchada, बहुच्छद Bahucchada, बहुपर्ण Bahuparna, बहुपुत्र Bahuputra, बहुत्वच् Bahutvach, ब्रह्मत्वच् Brahmatvach, बृहत्त्वच् Brhattvach, छत्त्रपर्ण Chattraparna, दलेगन्धि Dalegandhi, देववृक्ष Devavrksha, गन्धपर्ण Gandhaparna, ग्रहनाश Grahanasha, गुच्छपुष्प Gucchapushpa, गुत्सकपुष्प Gutsakapushpa, मदगन्ध Madagandha, मुनिच्छद Municchada, सप्तच्छद Saptacchada, सप्तपलाश Saptapalasha, सप्तपर्ण Saptaparna, सप्तपत्त्र Saptapattra, शक्तिपर्ण Shaktiparna, शाल्मलिपत्त्रक Shalmalipattraka, शारद Sharada, शारदभूरुह् Sharadabhuruh, शिरोरुजा Shiroruja, शुक्तिपर्ण Shuktiparna, सुपर्णक Suparnaka, विद्ध Viddha, विनद Vinada, विन्याक Vinyaka, विशालत्वच् Vishalatvach, विषमच्छद Vishamacchada, विषमपलाश Vishamapalasha, युग्मपर्ण Yugmaparna • Santali: ᱪᱷᱟᱹᱴᱱᱤ Chatni • Sylheti: Chhatni, Khami, Satni • Tagin: Tai Sen, Tayesangne • Tamil: ஏழிலைப்பாலை El-Ilai-P-Paalai, இருள்பாலை Irul-Paalai • Telugu: దేవసూరిప్పి Daevasurippi, ఏడాకుల పాల Edaakula Paala, ఏడాకుల పొన్న Edaakula Ponna, ఏడాకుల అరిటి Edakula-Ariti, ఎలారము Elaaramu, కొండ గన్నేరు Konda Ganneru, పాల గరుడ Paalagaruda • Tibetan: ལོ་མ་བདུན། Lo Ma Bdun • Tulu: ಪಾಲೆ Paale • Urdu: دلےگندھی Dale-Gandhi, دیوبرکش Deo-Briksh, شاردي Sharadi, ونياك Vinyak Source: Names of Plants in India
Botanical name: Alstonia scholaris    Family: Apocynaceae (Oleander family)
Synonyms: Echites scholaris
Blackboard Tree is an elegant evergreen tree, found in most parts of India. The generic name commemorates the distinguished botanist, Prof. C. Alston of Edinburgh, 1685-1760. The species name scholaris refers to the fact that the timber of this tree has traditionally been used to make wooden slates and blackboards for school children. In October small, greenish white yet fragrant flowers appear. After sunset the fragrance of the flowers prevails in the surroundings, leaving most people wondering about the source of the scent as the flowers themseleves are not very noticeable. All parts of the tree can be considered poisonous. It is a tall elegant tree with greyish rough bark. Branches are whorled, and so are the leaves, that is, several of them coming out of the same point. The tree is really elegant whether it is flowering or not. The slightly rounded, leathery, dark green leaves form whorls of 4-7. And a very regular branching gives the tree a beautiful shape. The wood is too soft for making anything - so it is usually used in making packing boxes, blackboards etc. On the Western Ghats, tribal people are reluctant to sit or pass under this tree, for the fear of the devil. Local superstition about its devilish character mainly stems from the fact that its milky sap is rich in poisonous alkaloid, and thus the tree is shunned by cattle.
Medicinal uses: Its bark, known as Dita Bark, is used in traditional medicine to treat dysentery and fever. In Ayurveda it is used as a bitter and as an astringent herb for treating skin disorders, malarial fever, urticaria, chronic dysentery, diarrhea, in snake bite and for upper purification process of Panchakarma . The Milky juice of the tree is applied to ulcers.
Identification credit: Tabish Photographed in Delhi.
• Is this flower misidentified? If yes,