Cheeni Pale – Devil tree

Cheeni Pale (Alstonia scholaris (L.) R. Br.)Commonly called  devil tree, is an evergreen tropical tree in the family Apocynaceae. It is native to the Indian subcontinent.  It grows up to 40 m (130 ft) tall. Its mature bark is grayish and its young branches are copiously marked with lenticels.

Kodava

Cheeni Pale

English

Devil tree, Scholar tree, Shaitan wood

Kannada

Maddaale

Botanical Name

Alstonia scholaris (L.) R. Br.

Family

APOCYNACEAE

Flowering starts

December

Fruiting ends

March

Uses

Used for making frames of wooden slates. Nowadays, is used for making cheap furniture, black boards, match box and pencils. The bark is used to treat bowel complaints and it’s a proven remedy for chronic diarrhoea and the advanced stages of dysentery. Leaves used for treating beriberi dropsy and congested liver.