Ficus religiosa

• Botanical Name : Ficus religiosa L.
• Common Name : Pipado, Bodhi Tree, Holy Tree, Scared Fig
• Plant Family : Moraceae

• Earlier this plant was placed in family Urticaceae but according to the modern views it should be placed in a separate family Moraceae which is separated from family Urticaceae.

• Plant Form : Tree
• Occurrence (Sectors) : 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 11-13, 15, 16, 18-30
• Occurrence (Special Areas) : Gujarat Forestry Research Foundation, Indroda Park, Ayurvedic Udyan, Punit Van, Van Chetana Kendra, Infocity, Aranya Van

About Ficus religiosa Plant :

• Habit : A tall tree often epiphytic, aerial roots are rare.
• Leaves : Alternate, cordate or broadly ovate-obcuneate, acuminate to a long neck, glabrous, margins undulate, petioles 9 cm long, stipules intrapetiolar.
• Inflorescence : Hypanthodium, globosely turbinate, androgynous sessile in axillary pairs, the apex truncate or subacute, with few brown spots, basal bracts 3, unequal, slightly imbricate.
• Flowers :
  • Florets few, obracteolate, gall florets many.
  • Tepals 2 or 3, valvate, staminate florets monandrous.
  • Ovary sessile, style 1 mm long.
• Fruit : Synconus somewhat dry.
• Flowering and Fruiting Time : November-January
• Significance :
  • The bark contains 4% tannin and is astringent.
  • An infusion of it is used for ulcers and skin diseases.
  • An aqueous extract of the bark shows anti-bacterial activity.
  • Leaves and tender shoots are used as purgative and in skin diseases.
  • The fruit is laxative and the seeds are considered to be cooling, alterative and laxative.