Vern: Babring, Ambati.

Embelia robusta Illustration Credit: Fauzia

A large scandent shrub, glabrous but younger parts sometimes pubescent. Leaves oblong-ovate to elliptic-oblong, 5-10 cm long, 2-7 cm broad, somewhat thin, very shortly petioled, entire but often with undulated margins, acuminate to subobtuse, often purplish beneath. Racemes shorter than leaves. Flowers c. 3 mm across, greenish-yellow to whitish, scented, shortly pedicelled. Calyx c. 1.5 mm long. Petals 2.5-3 mm long. Stamens 5, overtopping the petals. Fruit c. 5 mm in diameter, longitudinally wrinkled, somewhat apiculate, hardly pulpy.

Fl. Per.: March July.

Type: From seeds collected at Rajamahal hills (India) by Roxburgh..

Distribution: Outer Himalayas in India and Pakistan.

A rare plant of forest undergrowth in our area; fruits edible, but considered anthelmintic; dried bark and root are used for toothache.

Embelia robusta sensu Clarke (l.c.) is now regarded a mixture of Embelia tsjeriam-Cottam DC, (major part) with ovate leaves and Embelia robusta Roxb.