AMBWADA

(Spondias pinnata)

Family: Anacardiaceae

Synonym: Spondias mangifera; spondias acuminate

English name: Wild mango

Other names: Amra, jangli aam.

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Ambwada is grows wild, mostly in forests, nearly all over India upto an elevation of 1500 metres above mean sea level.  It is also planted in gardens at some places.

            It is an aromatic deciduous tree, upto 27 m high and 2.5 m in girth, with a clear bole of 16 m.  Bark is thick, smooth and aromatic; leaves imparipinnate, 20-60 m long; leaflets 5-11, 22-28 cm long, ovate oblong, elliptic or elliptic-oblong with a mango like smell.

            Fruits are yellow green or rich olive green, mottled yellow and black, smooth, ovoid, 4-7 cm long. 

            The fruits ripen during October-November in North India.  These are eaten as a vegetable when green and as a fruit when ripe.  These are also used as a condiment and can be made into chutneys, stews, pickles and jams. 

            The edible portion of the fruit gave on analysis the following values: moisture, 90.3; protein, 0.7; fat, 3.0; fibre, 1.0; carbohydrates, 4.5 and mineral matter, 0.5%.  The vitamin C content was 21 mg per 100 g.

Medicinal uses:

Ambwada bark is astringent is reported to be astringent and refrigerant.  It is useful in dysentery and diarrhea and is also given to prevent vomiting.  A paste of it is used as an embrocation for both articular and muscular rheumatism.  A decoction of the bark is stated to be given in gonorrhea.  The root is considered to be useful in regulating menstruation.

Other uses:

The wood is employed in making tea cases, tea chests and for floats, canoes and or boats.  The wood is fairly good for unbleached wood pulp.