Alstonia scholaris (L.) R.Br. 

Scientific Name: Alstonia scholaris (L.) R. Br.

Family: Apocynaceae

Common Name: Devil Tree

Hindi Name: सप्तपर्णी

Description: A tall evergreen tree upto 20 m or more; bark grey rough, lenticellate branches glabrous. Leaves (4-)5-7 (-10) whorled, coriaceous. glabrous, and shining, 9-20 x 2-5 cm, oblong-lanceolate or obvate, obtuse or shortly acuminate with 25-60 pairs of lateral nerves; margin entire; petiole 0.5-1 cm long, ending in a thick hooked gland on upper side. Inflorescence umbellately branched, many flowered, of capitate cymes, pubescent or tomentose; peduncle 2-5 cm long; pedicel 2-5 mm long, bracts oblong or lanceolate, acute, pubescent. Flowers greenish white 6-12 mm long. Calyx c. 2 mm long, pubescent, persistent; lobes oblong-ovate obtuse. Corolla tube cylindric, c. 6 mm long, lobes ovate, obtuse, 3-5 mm long. Disc absent. Follicles 30-60 cm long and 3-5 mm broad, pendulous.

Economic Importance:

The wood is used for manufacturing packing cases and boxes for packing tea, writing boards and lamina boards. Wood charcoal is used for gun powder.

Medicinal Importance:

It is used in the treatment of malaria, jaundice, gastrointestinal troubles, cancer and in many other ailments.

Cultural Importance:

This tree has got a great cultural significance in the intellectual circle, as traditionally its leaves were awarded to scholars and teachers during convocation ceremonies by the Visva Bharati University. This tradition was started by Rabindranath Tagore in Gurudeb University.

Religious Importance:

Some Tulu language-speaking indigenous communities consider this tree as the reincarnation of a mythological demon called Bali and worship its branch during the festival days of Deepavali, in honor of him.