Succulent berries and a bark of medicinal value

By Ruk Rakaganno, The Tree Society of Sri Lanka

The Dan tree grows upto about 10m and is found in secondary forests in the intermediate and wet lowlands. It grows best on sandy soils. It is native to Sri Lanka and is also found in South India and Borneo.

The leaves of the Dan are obovate with short pointed tips and a brownish red flush. The tree has white flowers that appear at the ends of the branches between February and May. The fruits are edible, dark purple, succulent berries.

The bark of the tree, pale greyish brown, is smooth and sometimes minutely cracked. The bark and the leaves have medicinal properties and are applied to burns, boils and ulcers. A concoction made from the bark and leaves is used to treat diabetes. The seeds are used as a purgative.

The Dan is known in Tamil as the Marungi and the scientific name is Syzgium carophyllatum.
Compiled