Distribution: Indo-Malesia and China, cultivated throughout the tropics
Description: Small trees. Leaves 3-5 foliolate; leaflets narrowly oblong or elliptic to lanceolate. Panicles terminal. Flowers deep purple to violet. Drupe globose, purple or black.
Habit: Tree
Habitat: Grown as hedge plant, also growing wild
Flowering & Fruiting: February-July
Parts used: Leaves, bark, root and flower
Properties & Uses: Leaves are vermifuge, anti-parasitic, alterative and anodyne. It is used to treat headache, asthma, diarrhoea and inflammatory swellings of the joints due to acute rheumatism. Leaf Juice removes foetid discharges and worms from ulcers. Leaves decoction with long pepper is given in catarrhal fever with heaviness of head and dullness of hearing. A vapour bath prepared from the leaves is used for treating catarrhal and rheumatic affections. Roots are febrifuge, expectorant and diuretic. Dried fruit acts as a vermifuge. Flowers are astringent and cooling.