Botanical Name: Dipterocarpus zeylanicus
Family: Dipterocarpaceae
Conservation Status: Endangered
Type of the plant: A tree
Description: A large tree that grows up to 40- 45 m tall and 4-6 m in circumference. The bark is light pinkish brown or light yellowish brown and can be seen white spots. The heartwood is light pinkish to dark reddish brown. Straight columnar with branches at a very high level. Leaves are fairly large, elliptic to ovate in shape with a blunt base and apex. Leaves are 10-25 cm long and 8-14 cm wide. Younger leaves appear pale brown and turn green when mature. The sharp-edged leaves are covered with silver hairy. The inflorescence looks like a cluster of white -pink flowers. Flowers bloom in April and seed have two wings to spread from wind and wings are reddish in young. When the seeds leave out turned to brown color.
Growing Area: Sinharaja rain forest , Ratnapura, Kaluthara, Galle and Mathara
Medicinal Properties: Decoration of the boiled heartwood is taken as an expectorant.
Dried gum dissolved in lime juice is taken to control pharyngitis, tonsillitis, bronchitis , pneumonia and also acts as a diaphoretic
Triterpenes: Asiatic acid, ursolic acid and its derivatives from resin.
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