Grewia hirsuta

Grewia hirsuta is a multi-stemmed, thornless and deciduous shrub growing up to 4-5 meters.

The bark of Grewia hirsuta is greyish-coloured and lenticellate. The branchlets are densely pubescent.

The leaves of Grewia hirsuta grow alternately on the stem.
The leaf is simple, dark green-coloured above and paler beneath. The leaf is chartaceous and densely pubescent (velvety) on both sides.
The leaves have a 0.5 cm long petiole.
The leaf of Grewia hirsuta is 8-10 cm long and 1.5-2 cm wide. The shape of the blade is lanceolate, the apex is acute, the base is obliquely rounded and the margins are serrate.
The venation of the leaf is reticulate with a prominent midrib.

The flowers of Grewia hirsuta are white-greenish-coloured, 1.5 cm across and they are grouped in axillary 3-flowered clusters (cymes).
The peduncle is about 2-3 mm long covered with long hairs.
The calyx is composed of 5 sepals. They are oblong, 5-6 mm long and 0.25 cm wide, white-coloured above and greenish tomentose beneath.
The corolla is composed of 5 white petals, hairy only at the base. They are oblong, 2 mm long and 1 mm.
The stamens are numerous with 2 mm long filiform filaments and tiny versatile anthers.
The ovary is globose and 4-celled. The style is 2 mm long and pubescent.
The flowers are fragrant.

The fruit of Grewia hirsuta is a drupe, brown-reddish coloured when ripe.
The fruit is subglobose about 1 cm across and tomentose.
The epicarp (fruit-wall) is crustaceous and the mesocarp (pulp) is fibrous.
The fruit contains 1 stone.

The seed of Grewia hirsuta is enclosed into a stone. The stone is globose, very hard, with an irregular surface. It is about 5 mm across and there is 1 stone per fruit.

Grewia hirsuta is used in Ayurveda and Siddha medicines.

The fruits and the roots of Grewia hirsuta are diuretic and antidiarrhoeal.

The juice of fruits is given to treat indigestion.

The roots paste is used externally for cuts, boils and wounds.

The roots and leaves crushed with sugar are prescribed for spermatorrhoea.

The leaf paste is applied on boils.

The extract of crushed twigs is given to treat stomachache.

Sources :
- Khare, 2007, Indian Medicinal Plants, An Illustrated Dictionary
- Quattrocchi, 2012, CRC World Dictionary of Medicinal and Poisonous Plants