Botany
A tree about 8 to 14 meters high with white branchlets and reddish young shoots. Leaves are broad-tipped, opposite, shiny and leathery, ellipitic, 6 to 15 cm long. Flowers, small, pinkish, in clusters, petal arranged to form a cup. Fruit is oval, 1 to 2 cm long, dark purple to black, fleshy and one-seeded, with a sweet-astringent taste.

Constituents
Gallic acid, 1.67% ; tannin, 19%; volatile oil, 0.05 %; fat, 0.37%; antimellin; jambulol; olein; linolein; palmitin; stearin; phytosterin; myricyl alcohol; hentriacontane.

Parts used and preparation
Fruit and bark.

Uses:
Folkloric
· Diarrhea: Liberal amounts of the fleshy portion of the fruit.
· Gum gingivitis: Use a 1% decoction of the bark as a gargle or mouthwash.
· Wounds: Use the bark decoction as an astringent wash.
Other uses
· Wine and fruit drink from the ripe fruits. Seeds used for fodder.

Availability
Wild-crafted.
Seasonal fruiting.