Balanites roxburghii

Balanites roxburghii is a small deciduous tree growing up to 6 m in height. 
The branches have long, straight green spines arranged in spirals.

The bark of Balanites roxburghii is rough. 
The branches have stout axillary spines. 
The fluted trunk is yellow-grey, uneven bark with yellow-green patches where it is shed.

The leaves of Balanites roxburghii are bi-foliolate, with alternate arrangement. 
The two leaflets are elliptic-lanceolate and are variable in size. 
The size of the leaf is between 0.5 to 1.5 cm. 
The mature leaves are ashy grey in colour.

The flowers of Balanites roxburghii appear in cyme of 3 to 6 flowers. 
They are yellow-green in colour. 
The size of the flowers is less than 1 cm. 
The flower buds are ovoid and covered in a short tomentose pubescence. 
The flowers of Balanites roxburghii are hermaphroditic or bisexual, meaning the male and female reproductive organs are found within the same flower. 
They have five petals in radial symmetry. 
The pedicel of the inflorescence is grey in colour.

The fruit of Balanites roxburghii is a single-seed drupe, with ovoid-oblong shape. 
The size of the fruit is between 3 to 5 cm. 
The colour of the fruit is green when unripe, turning brown at its maturity. 
The pulp of the ripe fruit has a strong smell. 
It ripens to a brown fruit with a crispy skin enclosing a sticky brown pulp around a hard stone.

The seed of Balanites roxburghii is single per fruit, consisting of a hard stone. 
The seed contains oil used for cosmetics.