Ficus benghalensis Linn

Ficus benghalensis Linn. Family

Moraceae

Ficus benghalensis Linn. English Name

Banyan fig

Ficus benghalensis Linn. Local Name

Bargad

Ficus benghalensis Linn. Description

This plant is a fast growing, evergreen and large deciduous tree, its height is up to 20-25m long, its leaves are wide and branch dispersion is up to 100m or above with large roots and pillar like trunks. Trunk is grey, fluted and smooth. Leaves with stout are usually 2-6cm long. It produces large numbers of seeds which can be dispersed by both exotic and native birds. These trees initiate growing on other trees as epiphytes and when they become mature, they end up killing the host-tree completely. The tree is considered sacred in India.

Ficus benghalensis Linn. Distribution

They are considered native to tropical Asia, from Pakistan and India through Myanmar, Thailand, southern China, and Malaysia. It is also cultivated and well established in many other tropical regions of the world including North America, West Indies, western Africa, Australia, Middle East, and many other islands in the Pacific Ocean.

Ficus benghalensis Linn. Uses

It has many medicinal uses. It is useful in treatment of biliousness, ulcers, erysipelas, vomiting, vaginal complains, fever, inflammations, leprosy. Its latex is aphrodisiac, tonic it lessens inflammations and is useful in piles, nose diseases and others. The aerial root is styptic and is useful in syphilis, biliousness, dysentery, inflammation of liver. This plant also has some other uses; it is planted for soil conservation; its wood can be used for the making of furniture etc.

(Flora of Pakistan, 2014; Pier, 2014)