Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. ex DC.

Scientific Name: Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. ex DC.

Family: Fabaceae 

Common Name:  Indian rosewood

Hindi Name: शीशम 

Description: Tree with rough bark and mainly longitudinal furrows, young branch pubescent. Leaf imparipinnate, rachis 3.7-7.5 cm long; leaflets 3.5-6.5 cm long, broadly ovate or suborbicular, acuminate, glabrescent, petiole 5-8 mm long; stipules 5 mm long. Inflorescence an axillary panicle, composed of several short spikes with sessile to subsessile flowers. Bract small, pubescent, caducous. Calyx 5 mm long, teeth ciliate, unequal, shorter than the tube. Corolla yellowish white. Stamens 9, Monadelphous, tube slit on the upper side only, anthers uniform. Ovary pubescent, 2-4-ovulate, style glabrous, stigma capitate. Fruit 3.7-10 cm long, 7.0-13 mm broad, strap-shaped, glabrous, 1-4-seeded. Seed flattened.

Economic Importance:

• Its wood is utilized for wooden flooring, panelling, railway sleeper, agricultural tools, musical instruments, wood laminates, plywood making etc.

• Due to high calorific value (5180 kcal/kg) its wood has been classified as an excellent fuel wood and is also used for charcoal making. 

Medicinal Importance:

• Dalbergia sissoo leaves are used as stimulant and anti-diabetic and bark as abortifacient, anthelmintic, Anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, blood purifier and expectorant etc.

• It is used to treat sore throats, dysentery, syphilis, bronchitis, inflammations, infections, hernia, skin diseases, and gonorrhoea.

Cultural Importance:

• It is a folk remedy for gonorrhoea and skin ailments.

• The wood is also used in India for boils, leprosy and nausea. 

Religious Importance:

• According to Hindu Astrology, Shisham is a tree of Ardrdra Nakshatra and astrologers suggest the person affected by Adrdra Nakshatra for planting Shisham tree or perform rituals. 

• As per Vastu Shastra, a Sheesham Wood temple apart from other wood types is considered more auspicious for Home Temple and thus people prefer buying wooden temples for their homes rather than buying any other kind of temple.