Digital Garden

Ficus benjamina L.

വെള്ളാൽ

Family : MORACEAE

Synonym : Ficus parvifolia Oken.

Common Names : Jili, Vellal, Benjamin Tree, Golden fig, Java fig, Weeping Fig

Flowering Period : July – December

Distribution : India and South China to Solomon Islands

Habitat : Planted as ornamental tree

Uses : Ornamental, anti-rheumatic, tannin source. The bark of the root, the root itself, and the leaves are boiled in oil and applied on wounds and bruises. The pounded leaves and bark are applied as a poultice in the treatment of rheumatic headaches. The inner bark is a source of fibre. The bark contains about 4.2% tannins. The wood is of low quality, but is used for temporary constructions, mouldings, interior work, cladding, drawers, small domestic articles, fruit crates etc.

Key Characters :

Ficus benjamina are evergreen trees, aerial roots few. Leaves simple, alternate, distichous; lamina elliptic, margin entire. Inflorescence a syconia, axillary, sessile, paired, globose; internal bristles absent; flowers unisexual, of 4 kinds; male flowers: abundant; tepals 3; stamen 1, included; anthers oblong; female flowers: sessile, tepals 3-4; ovary ovate, brownish; style tip curved; gall flowers similar to female flowers but pedicellate. Syconium orange, rarely pink or dark purple.