Bitterroot Restoration

Family: Capparidaceae
Common name: Borun, Bonna pithagola(Beng.); Three-leafedcaper(Eng.).
Native Range: The plant grows throughout India, especially along the streams and river banks. It is found in abundance, in Kerela, Madhya Pradesh, Bengal and Assam.

Crataeva nurvala is a medium sized deciduous tree found throughout India, especially along the river banks. It has a small tree having a height of 25 to 30 feet. Their bark is grayish, smooth, vertically cracked. Their leaves trifoliate, 8-12 cm long, with oval leaflets. The flowers are greenish white, 5-8 cm in diameter, polygamous and fragrant. Their fruits, ovoid berries, 2.5 cm in diameter, red when ripe. The plant flowers in March and fruits in June.

The skin, roots and leaves of Crataeva nurvala have great medicinal value. The plant is used internally as well as externally. Externally, the paste or its leaves or skin of bark is applied in cervical adenitis, abscess and edematous wounds. The same paste is salutary in rheumatic joint for relief of pain. The pulp of leaves is applied on abdomen in splenic enlargement, with great benefit.