Herbarium JCB

Alstonia scholaris (L.) R.Br.

Family : APOCYNACEAE
(DOGBANE FAMILY)
Family (as per The Plant List) : Apocynaceae
Species : Alstonia scholaris
Species Name (as per The Plant List) : Alstonia scholaris (L.) R. Br.
Common name : Scholar Tree, Devil Tree, Shaitaanwood Tree, Blackboard Tree, Milkwood Pine, White Cheesewood, Dita Bark, 7-leaved Cactus
Vernacular name : Chattiyan, Saitaan ka Jhat (Hin.); Haale mara (Kan.); Aedakularite chettu, Edakulapala, Edkulashettu, Palgaruda, Edakula ponna (Tel.); Aegaalimaram, Aezhilaikalli (Tam.); Chhatin, Chhatian, Khironula, Sapta parna (Ori.); Saptachada (San.)
Key identification features : A large evergreen native tree with bitter milky latex. Leaves are simple, bright green on the upper side and greyish-white beneath. They occur clustered (4-7) around each node. Flowers are small (1-1.5 cm. long), greenish-white, sweet-scented and occur in dense tightly packed clusters. Stamens with short filaments are inserted near the throat of the corolla tube. A pair of fruits develops from each flower, which are long (20-50 cm.), slender and pendulous. Seeds are papery and hairy at both ends. Bark grey-brown, rough, lenticellate.
Habit : Tree
Flower, Fruit : June-January
Comments : Rare, in mixed deciduous forests. Often planted in avenues and gardens.
Conservation Status : Least Concern (LC)
World Distribution : Tropical Africa, Asia, Australaisa
Literature : Pullaiah et al., 2011 - Flora of Eastern Ghats Vol. 4; H.O. Saxena & M. Brahmam, 1995- Flora of Orissa Vol. 2; H. O. Saxena and M. Brahmam, 1989 - The Flora of Similipal, Orissa; IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.1. ; Matthew, K.M., The Flora of Tamil Nadu Carnatic, Vol.3 (1). Diocesan Press, Madras. 1983.
Citation : Sankara Rao, K., Arun Singh R., Deepak Kumar, Raja K Swamy and Navendu Page (2016). Digital Flora of Eastern Ghats. http://easternghats.ces.iisc.ernet.in/plants.php?name=Alstonia scholaris. Downloaded on 7 June 2025.