Bitterroot Restoration

Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Common name: Geo, Gewa(Beng.); Blinding tree, River poison(Eng.).
Life cycle:
Native Range: Native to the Old World Tropics.

Excoecaria agallocha is a deciduous tree growing to 15 m tall. Their branches lenticellate , glabrous . Their leaves alternate throughout; stipules ovate , 1.5-2 mm; petiole 1.5-3 cm. Their young leaves are pinkish. Old leaves turn bright red when they are about to drop off. Each tree bears either male or female flowers. So when they are in bloom, the trees can look confusingly different. The flowers are wind pollinated. Their fruit capsules explode when ripe to disperse the seeds by water.

This plant is used to treat sores and stings from marine creatures. Smoke from the bark is used to treat leprosy. This plant is being tested for modern medical uses. Modern clinical trials show that the plant may have anti-HIV, anti-cancer, anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties.