Alexandrian laurel / Sultan Champa

Calophyllum inophyllum

Bengali & Hindi: Sultana Champa

Mid-sized, low branching evergreen tree with a broad and irregular crown with thick shining dark green oval leaves.

Bark: Blackish brown with fissures

Leaf: 4-8’’ oppositely arranged oval, thickish, dark green, glossy. Parallel nerves prominent on the underside of the leaves.

Flower: 1’’ dia. Petals ivory white a cluster of yellow stamens in the center. Highly scented

Fruit: Smooth spherical drupe of 1’’ dia. Green or yellow initially brown when mature.

Season: Flowers at least twice, Once in April-May, then in rains, sometimes during early winter also.

Range/habitat: This tree is widely distributed in tropical east Africa to south India, Sri Lanka to south east Asia. It typically grows in coastal regions, as well as nearby lowland forests.

Trivia and notes: The wood used to be used for mast of ships hence it is called mastwood as well.

Where to find: If you enter the road that is between the Anderson lake and padmo pukur from the main lake side you will find a mature Sultana Champa tree on your right after around 70 steps (22.51208, 88.36286)