A medium sized tree, c. 8-10 m tall. Leaves ovate, or ovate-oblong or lanceolate, 5-10 cm long, 2-6 cm broad, oblique, acuminate, somewhat scabrous above and velvety below; petiole 0.5-2 cm long. Inflorescence axillary or terminal, many-flowered, thyrsiform cyme. Flowers small, c. 8 mm across, yellow; pedicel 3-6 mm long. Sepals 3-5, elliptic-lanceolate or ovate, basally connate, 2-3 mm long, c. 1.5 mm broad, tomentose outside, nearly glabrous within, reflexed. Petals obovate, c. 3 mm long, c. 2 mm broad, appendage 3-4 mm long, puberulous out-side. Stamens 2-2.5 mm long, concealed in the cucullate petals, anthers orange or reddish. Ovary c. 1 mm long. Capsule globose or oblong-ellipsoid, 1-2 cm long, 1-1.5 cm in diameter, black, tuberculate.

Fl Per.: March-May, September-December.

Type: “Habitat in Jamaicae”.

Distribution: A native of tropical America and Java; cultivated in India, Burma and Pakistan.

The fruit resembling black mulberry contains a small quantity of sweet edible pulp and is said to be valuable for fattening cattles. The mucilaginous sap from the inner bark of the tree is used for clearing sugar in W. Indies. The bark is reported to be used in treatment of elephantiasis, skin and chest diseases in Mauritius and W. Indies.