Grewia orbiculata G. Don
Vern.: Jalidar, Dhohan, Kashkasri (Punjabi); Insarra, Pastuwanne (Pushto).
A small shrub, c. 2-3 m tall. Stem with ash-grey bark, young twigs covered with dense fine stellate tomentum. Leaves with 1-2.5 cm long, filiform, densely stellate hairy petiole; lamina rugose above, densely soft hairy beneath, ovate to broadly ovate or narrowly to broadly orbicular or somewhat oblate, 1.4-7 cm long, 1.4-7.5 cm broad, 5-costate, basal 2 nerves somewhat indistinct, subcordate to cordate at the base, margin scalloped (crenate-serrate), each serrature with bunch of long hairs, apex obtuse-apiculate, rarely emarginate; stipules foliaceous, ovate-oblong, c. 1 cm long, densely villous outside. Cyme 4(-6)-flowered, umbellate, peduncles axillary, rarely leaf-opposed, 0.8-1.5 cm long, densely villous. Flowers whitish-yellow, c. 2 cm across; pedicel 5-8 mm long; bracts elliptic-lanceolate, c. 7-8 mm long, stellate tomentose on both sides. Sepals oblanceolate, 8-10 mm long, c. 2.5 mm broad, villous outside, acute. Petals narrowly obovate, claw minute with indistinct pit, densely ciliate around gland, limb c. 5 mm long, c. 2 mm wide, dull yellow, emarginate to retuse. Stamens 25-30, filaments c. 5 mm long. Ovary globose, densely covered with antrorse hairs; style c. 3-4 mm long, stellate hairy, stigma 4-lobed. Drupe dorsoventrally somewhat compressed, unlobed, subglobose, c. 1 cm in diameter, c. 8 mm long, cordate at the base, densely villous, yellow-brown or coppery red.
Fl. Per.: March-September.
Type: Described from India orientalis.
Distribution: Pakistan, W & S India, tropical Africa, Arabia, Egypt, Cape Verde Isles and East Indies.
Common in dry hot plains and low hills.
The root is used as a remedy for diarrhoea. The juice of the bark is used in urinary troubles, irritation in the bladder and gonorrhoea. The fruit is eaten in Punjab and Sind and is delicious.