Ficus religiosa L. | |
Moraceae | |
Arasu | |
| Botanical Name | Ficus religiosa L. |
| Synonyms | Ficus peepul Griff.; Ficus caudate. Strokes |
| Family | Moraceae |
| Common Name | English: Peepal / Tamil: Arasu |
| Distribution | Global : India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Pakistan Indian : Throughout India |
| Description | Large Tree up to 25 m tall, aerial roots absent, bark grey, smooth, milky exudation present. Leaves simple, alternate, spiral, young leaves pink, ovate-lanceolate, a gland at the apex below, margin entire, undulate, glabrous, shining, coriaceous, intercostae reticulate venation. Inflorescence - syconia, sessile, axillary, in pairs, obovoid or globose, twig wall thick; basal bracts 3, persistent, orifice, closed by 3 apical bracts in a disc 2-3 mm wide, internal bristles none. Male flowers sessile, in one ring; tepals 2, ovate-lanceolate, free, reddish, stamen - 1, filament short, anther oblong, Female flowers sessile, tepals 3 - 4, linear-lanceolate, free, brownish, glabrous, ovary superior, ovoid-oblong, red-brown, style lateral, stigma rounded. Gall flowers similar to female. Syconium 4-8 mm across, ripening pink, purple or black; achenes smooth. |
| Flowering Fruiting period | April-May |
| Uses | Used as fuel wood, tanning and food for cattle, fruit edible. Commonly planted in temple and sacred grooves. |
| Medicinal Uses | Leaves and barks are used to prepare herbal medicines. |
| Tamil Name | Arasu |