Cannon- Ball Tree

Location in BHU campus : Restricted distribution in the campus. One large tree growing in Jodhpur colony.

Botanical name : Couropita guianensis Aubl

Family : Lecythidaceae

Vernacular / local Name : Bengali-Nagalingam, kamangola; Hindi-Topegola, nagalingam, shivalingam .

English names : Cannon-Ball tree

A tall tree up to 25 m high with massive trunk .Leaves alternate, entire, oblong-obovate or broad lanceolate. Flowers borne in racemes from the trunk and the branches ,beautiful with combination of white, yellow ,pink and crimson. Fruit a berry,15-20 cm in diameter, globular, resembling cannon balls.

Flowering: February-November

Fruiting : December-February

• Sacred value

The stigma protrudes like a lingam and is considered sacred to Shiva.

• Uses

The shells of the tree are used as utensils and the pulp is eaten and made into a beverage.