Buchanania axillaris

Buchanania axillaris is a medium-sized and evergreen tree up to 10-12 m.

The bark of Buchanania axillaris is brown-greyish coloured, rough, longitudinally fissured and transversally cracked.

The leaves of Buchanania axillaris grow alternately on the stem (spirally arranged).
The leaf is simple, bright green coloured above and paler beneath. The leaf is coriaceous and glabrous on both sides.
The leaves have a 3-4 cm long petiole.
The leaf of Buchanania axillaris is 13-18 cm long and 3-4 cm wide. The shape is oblong-elliptic, the apex is obtuse-emarginate, the base is cuneate-attenuate and the margins are entire.
The venation of the leaf is reticulate with a prominent midrib.

The flowers of Buchanania axillaris are grouped in axillary panicles (at the upper axils of the new branchlets). The peduncle is 1.5-2 cm long.
The calyx is composed of 5 small and semicircular sepals (1 mm long). The calyx is light green-coloured.
The corolla is composed of 5 white-greenish and glabrous petals. The petals are obovate and recurved, 2.5-3 mm long and 1.5 mm wide.
The pedicels are very short (about 0.5 mm long).
The androecium is composed of 10 stamens.
The buds are glabrous, light green, globular and 1.5-2 mm across.
The flowers are fragrant.
 

The fruit of Buchanania axillaris is a 1-seeded drupe. The fruit is globose, green-brownish and about 1.5 cm in diameter.

The seed of Buchanania axillaris is ovoid and compressed. It is 1 cm long and 0.8 cm wide. There is only one seed per fruit.

The kernel of the seeds of Buchanania axillaris is edible.

The leaves of Buchanania axillaris are laxative, depurative, cooling, aphrodisiac, cardiotonic, astringent and wound healing.

The leaf juice is digestive, expectorant, aphrodisiac and purgative.

The seeds are tonic to the body and the brain. The kernel is laxative and febrifuge. (Quattrocchi, 2012, CRC World Dictionary of Medicinal and Poisonous Plants)

The gum is antidiarrheal and it is used internally in rheumatism. (Khare, 2007, Indian Medicinal Plants, An Illustrated Dictionary)

The kernels of Buchanania axillaris made into a powder and mixed with milk are used as an aphrodisiac. (http://www.flowersofindia.net)