Ehretia laevis Roxb.

Ehretia laevis Roxb.


Scientific Name: Ehretia laevis Roxb.

Family: Boraginaceae

Common Name: Chamror

Hindi Name: दतरँगा 

Description: A small to medium sized tree up to 9 m tall. Young shoots and branches puberulous to glabrescent. Leaves 8-15 x 4.5-1.5 cm, suborbicular, obtuse to acute, minutely pubescent especially on undersurface, but becoming glabrescent, base rounded to cuneate or oblique. Petiole long. Flowers white, in axillary and terminal cymes, subsessile. Calyx ± 1.5 mm long, 5-partite, minutely rusty-tomentese. Lobes c. 1 mm long, ovate, acute. Corolla c. 5 mm long. Lobes ovate-lanceolate, c. 3 mm long, spreading. Filaments c. length of corolla, glabrous, lower half adnate; anthers 1.5 mm long. Styles 2-3 mm long, Stigma capitate. Ovary 2 mm long, ovoid. Drupe c. 3 mm long, black and wrinkled.

Medicinal uses: The plant is used in traditional medicine to treat various ailments such as fever, cough and malaria. The bark, leaves and roots of the plant are used in the preparation of pharmaceutical preparations.


Ornamental uses: Ehretia laevis is often grown as an ornamental plant in gardens and landscapes for its attractive foliage and fragrant flowers.


Environment: The plant is used in some areas for soil conservation, erosion control and reforestation.


Wood: Wood from the Ehretia laevis mill is used to make furniture, cabinets and other wood products.

Beekeeping: The plant is a source of nectar and pollen for bees and is an important plant for beekeeping.


Cooking: The leaves of this plant are sometimes used as a seasoning in cooking.