Common Name: Bullet wood, Bakul. Tamil name: Magzhampoo
Bakul is native to South East Asia and is an evergreen tree that grows to a height of about 10 meters. It forms a round shady crown. The tree is a popular ornamental shade tree and a culturally important in India. Often planted in temples across India. The bark of the wood is dark in color, often seen with vertical fissures. The wood is very hard hence called “Bullet wood” tree. The simple leafs are arranged spirally in an alternate manner. The leafs are dark green in color, with wavy entire margin. The leaf measure around 8 cm in length and about 5 cm across. The flowers are round in shape with the middle portion having a pyramidal shape. The flowers are cream-white in color; seen with two layers of sepals, 8 petals and 8 stamens. The flowers measure around 2.7 cm across. The fruit is in the form of a berry which is initially green in color, it turns yellow-orange when fully ripe. It encloses a single hard seed. Mimusops genus is genus under family Sapotaceae found in tropical and sub-tropical areas of Asia, Africa and Australia. it consists of mostly trees and shrubs. They lack stipules, flowers are borne on the axis of current leafs. The sepals are found in 2 separate whorls of 4 each. The corolla is lobed. The fruit is in the form of berry with persistent calyx. Bakul flowers are made into a garlands, they retain their grant fragrance even when dry. The wood is extensively, the plant has medicinal value. The fruits are edible. The tree is the larval host plant for Common Red flash and Common crow butterflies
