Bio Diversity Park

Common Name : Punjab Fig

Hindi Name : बेदु | Scientific Name : Ficus palmata
Family : Moraceae
Uses : The plant is used as a rootstock for the common fig. The fruit is demulcent, emollient, laxative and poultice. It is used as a part of the diet in the treatment of constipation and diseases of the lungs and bladder.
Native: North West India
General Description:

It is a deciduous, moderate-sized tree, 6-10m in height. It is usually seen cultivated as a shrub. Young branches, velvety, often becoming hairless; bark, smooth, dull, ash grey, can be stripped off with the hand, exposing the white to light-yellow wood underneath; wood, moderately hard. Leaves, alternate, broad, ovate, membranous, 12.92cm long, 14.16cm broad, with a heart-shaped base, and toothed margin (which is rare in figs). Leaves are dark green and rough on the upper surface, light green and tomentose on the lower surface. Male flowers are numerous in upper half, pedicellate, sepals are 5, free, lanceolate, hairy, stamens are 3 to 6. Female flowers are basal, numerous, sepals are 5, basally united and hairy. Ovary is ovoid with subterminal, long hairy style. Figs gradually narrowed at the base, are 2cm long, yellow or purple in colour.