Gamhar or Indian White Teak

Gmelina arborea

A large deciduous tree with peepal-like leaves and pale trunk. In Kolkata it does not grow that tall

Bark: Pale grey smooth flakes off in large flakes

Leaf:  Grows in opposite pairs on long stalks. Heart shaped (peepal-like). Smooth above and velvety below. To me, stalk-side of the leaves look like second bracket or brace with the leaf stalk emerging from middle. Leaves of young trees have saw-tooth like margins.

Flowers: Trumpet shaped, yellow & brown, one petal larger than the rest and mostly yellow. A favorite of the sunbirds and other nectar seekers

Fruit: 1’’ olive shaped.

Season: Leaves fall in late winter; flowers start late Jan or early Feb. New leaves also appear around this time. Fruits ripen in Apr-Jul.

Range/habitat: Found in almost all sub-Himalayan as well as central Indian forest. Also, Myanmar, where it grows tallest. Almost always grow here and there and not in large number or pure strands.

Trivia and notes: One of the most sought-after timber tree, known as “white teak” in the industry. There is another tree, quite common in Dhakuria lake, which is called “false white teak”. That tree resembles Gamhar but does not have a commercially valuable timber.

Where to Find: In Rabindra Sarovar, Kolkata, ff the road between padma pukur and Andersen club is projected till the lake there is a gamhar tree close to the lake. GPS: 22.51135N, 88.36269E.