Myrica esculenta is a small tree

Tree

A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...

 or large shrub

Shrub

A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...

 native to Hills of Nepal

Nepal

Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...

 and northern India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

. Its common names include Box myrtle, Bayberry. It is a well known medicinal plant in Ayurveda

Ayurveda

Ayurveda or ayurvedic medicine is a system of traditional medicine native to India and a form of alternative medicine. In Sanskrit, words , meaning "longevity", and , meaning "knowledge" or "science". The earliest literature on Indian medical practice appeared during the Vedic period in India,...

.

Habitat

It is found in hilly regions of Nepal

Nepal

Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...

 and northern part of India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

 especially in the region of Punjab, Gadwall, Kumaun, Khasia Mountains and silhiti especially at the height of 3 to 6 thousand.

Morphology

It has a tree of medium height i.e. 20 to 25 feet. Bark is soft and brittle. Leaves are conjoint, 1 to 2 feet long that has leaflets in pairs of 6 to 9 and has a width of ¼ inch. Flowers are of white color and are found in bunches. Fruits are 6 to 18 inch long and have 6 veins with having a brown color. Seeds are triangular in shape and are astringent in taste.

According to ayurveda it is of two varietiesbased on the color of flower Shwet (white), Rakta (red).

Chemical Constituents

Bark is yellow colored substance, myrisetin, myricitrin and glycoside. Besides this it contains 32 %.

Pharmacology

It is vata and kapha suppressant. Due to its sharp and penetrating nature. It also aids contraction of muscles. It helps in stimulating the nervous system. It helps in normalizing the digestive tract due to its light properties. It also helps in improving circulation and also reduces any edema present in the body. It also helps in expelling out the excessive mucus accumulated in the respiratory tract. It is a good aphrodisiac agent and is a very effective in treating skin diseases.

According to ayurveda it contains Gunna (properties) – laghu (light) and tikshan (sharp), Rasa (taste) –kashaya (astringent), katu (pungent) and tickta (bitter), Virya (potency) – ushan (hot).