The Fruits are small black ovoid drupes, becoming veined and wrinkled when dry, with a single cell containing two seeds. They are ⅜ inch long and flattened at the top, and very persistent on the twigs.
BRIDELIA SCLERONEURA Müll. Arg.—Kisni. EUPHORBIACEAE.
This is a small tree, without any definite form, which grows up to 15 or 20 feet high, with, occasionally a stem some 6 feet high and a misshapen crown. It is distinguished by the small clusters of minute flowers in the leaf axils and the crenate margined leaves which lie in one plane on long, slender, drooping twigs.
The Bark, in old trees, is quite black, with long fissures and fibrous ridges; in young trees it is white, or black and white in patches, with soft, corky scales which fall in large pieces composed of several smaller scales bound together. The slash is bright crimson.
The Leaves are borne on long, drooping, slender twigs, alternate, in one plane and gradually diminishing in size from the base upwards. Each such twig is supported by a larger leaf, 3½ inches long and 1¼ inches broad. The alternate leaves vary from 3 inches long and ¾ inches broad at the base of the twig to 2 inches long and ½ inch broad at the end of the twig. The lateral veins, as they reach the margin, are continued along it so that the edge is crenate. The tips are sharply pointed. The leaves all point well forward. The ¼ inch long stalks are covered with soft, brown hairs. The upper surface is slightly rough and darker than the under surface, on which the veins, especially the laterals and mid-rib, stand out prominently and show yellow in colour. The halves of the leaf tend to fold up along the mid-rib slightly.
The Flowers are in very small clusters in the leaf axils and appear in May and June. They are bright red in bud, the sepals being tinged. Each male flower is ⅛ inch in diameter with a 5 sepal calyx, 5 minute petals and a column of 5 radiating stamens. The female flower has 5 sepals, 5 petals, a disk round the ovary and 2 bifid styles.
The Fruits are in clusters, often a dense crop, at each node. They are the size of peas, green at first, ripening to black with a bloom. A thin skin surrounds a narrow, juicy flesh round a hard, 2-celled stone. The flesh dries and the skin wrinkles while the fruit is on the tree.
Uses.—The roots are sometimes used medicinally.