Sonneratia CASEOLARIS (L.) Engl.
| Synonym : | Blatti acida (L. f.) Lam. Rhizophora caseolaris L. Sonneratia acida L. f. Sonneratia neglecta Blume. |
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| Bangla Name : | Ora, Orali, Choila, Archaka, Shoila, Orcha (Sundarbans), Chhaila (Barisal). |
| English Name : | - |
| Family : | Sonneratiaceae |
| Disease : | Sprains, swellings, haemorrhage,cough, astringent and antiseptic. |
| Description : | A small, glabrous, evergreen tree, reaching 4.5 m high, branchlets jointed, 4-cornered. Leaves subfleshy, 5-9.5 cm long, elliptic-oblong or obovate, obtuse, gradually tapering into a broad, short, petiole, glabrous, entire. Flowers solitary at the end of branchlets, about 5 cm across. Fruit a fleshy berry, supported by persistent calyx, depressed globose, 5-8 cm across. |
| Distribution : | Tidal forest of Barisal, Chittagong, Sunderbans and Chakaria Sundarbans. |
| Chemical Constituents : | Bark and wood contains phenolic substances, archin (emodin), archinin (chrysophanic acid) and archicin (prousinol) and colouring matters. The wood also contains three crystalline products. Leaves are rich in carbohydrates, lipids and proteins (Ghani, 2003 |
| Uses : | Fruits are used as a poultice in sprains and swellings. Fermented juice of the fruits is useful in arresting haemorrhage. Juice of unripe fruit is given in cough. Bark is astringent and antiseptic. |
| Habit : | Tree |