Common Name:

General Information

Casearia tomentosa is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree with a spreading crown; it usually grows around 8 metres tall[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

The bitter-tasting fruit juice is used as a fish poison[, , ].
The fruit is a capsute containing several seeds - although the capsule of some species (and possibly also the seeds contained therein) is somewhat toxic, the fleshy aril surrounding the seeds is a different matter and in some species (see information below on edibility to see if this is one of them) is often eaten and is considered to be perfectly wholesome[, ].

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - India, Bangladesh, Myanmar

Habitat

Deciduous forests, open scrub jungles, and waste lands[]..

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	8.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A very drought tolerant species[].
A fairly slow-growing species, especially when in a forest environment[].
The tree responds well to coppicing, the coppice shots growing fairly rapidly often reaching 1.5 metres in their first year[].
The tree is virtually immune to attacks from grazing animals[].

Edible Uses

The fruit is a capsule containing a number of seeds that are surrounded by a red, fleshy aril[, ]. We have no specific reports of edibility for this species, but the aril of several species in this genus are known to be edible and, unless it is very bitter, in an emergency the aril of this species is likely to supply a tiny bit of nutriment[].

Medicinal

The bark is tonic. It is taken in the treatment of anaemia[]
The juiced bark is applied externally in the treatment of dropsy, fever and snake bite[]. It is applied topically to treat ringworm[]
The bitter-tasting bark is used medicinally and is used for adulterating 'Kamala' powder (Mallotus philippensis)[]

A decoction of the root bark is used as a treatment for diabetes[, ].

The pulp of the fruit is diuretic[, ].

The bitter-tasting leaves are anthelmintic[].
They are used in baths (probably to ease rheumatic joints[]).

Various parts of the plant are used to treat sunstroke and diarrhoea[].

Various extracts of the leaves and the bark have displayed effective antimicrobial and antioxidant properties[].

Other Uses

The yellowish-white wood is close-grained and moderately hard[].Rather brittle, it is only used for small woodwork. It is good for making combs and, if cut green so as to prevent discoloration, ought to be good for carving.[, ].
The wood is used for fuel[].

Propagation

The seed of species in this genus often has a short period of viability and so is best sown as soon as it is ripe. The seed is collected when the fruits start to open - leave them in the sun to open completely to release the seed, then rinse the seed in water to remove the arils[]. Sow the seed in a partially shaded position in a nursery seedbed, only just covering the seed, and keep moist. Germination rates vary, but can usually be expected to be low, with the seed sprouting within 20 - 30 days[]. When the seedlings are 3 - 5cm tall, pot them up into individual containers and they should be ready to plant out a few months later[].
Cuttings.

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