Terminalia bellirica

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Botanical Name/Scientific Name: Terminalia bellirica
Genus: Terminalia
Synonym: Terminalia bellirica var. laurinoides (Teijsm. & Binn.) C.B.Clarke
Common/Local Name(s): Baheda, Bibhitaki, or Beleric.
Family: Combretaceae

Botanical Description: Terminalia bellirica is a large deciduous tree that can reach up to 20-30 meters (65-98 feet) in height. It features a round crown and a straight trunk. The bark is grey or brown, with cracks and flaky patches, giving it a distinctive appearance. The leaves are alternate, simple, broadly elliptic, and clustered toward the ends of branches. They are typically 10-20 cm long and 7-15 cm wide. Leaves are green, turning yellow when they age before shedding. They are somewhat leathery, with a slightly furry texture on the underside. Terminalia bellirica flowers are borne in spikes or short panicles at the end of branches or in leaf axils. The flowers are yellow to greenish, small, and lack petals. They possess numerous stamens, which are longer than the sepals, giving the flowers a frilly appearance. The tree generally flowers from March to May, depending on the geographic location. The fruit is a drupe, approximately 1.5-2.5 cm in diameter. Fruits are grey or yellow with a hard, five-ribbed husk at maturity. They contain a single large seed. Fruits are primarily dispersed by birds and animals that are attracted to the fruit's fibrous outer layer.
Flowering/Fruiting: Flowering from August to November.
Plant Uses: Medicinal Uses, Environmental Uses, Practical Uses(Timber & Dye Production) and Cosmetic Uses.
Origin: Introduced
Locality: University of Port Harcourt Choba Campus.
Habit: Tree
Mode: Cultivated