Soymida febrifuga

Botanical Name – Soymida febrifuga

Common Name – Indian Redwood, Mansrohini (Sanskrit), Raktarohan, Rohni, Rohan, Arraun, Hadraun, Rohina (Hindi), Rahani (Orriya), Kemmara, Swamimara (Kannada), Somi (Tamil)

Habit – Medium to large sized deciduous tree

Habitat – Dry deciduous forests

Distribution in India –  Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Kerala

Specific qualities

• Tree is drought tolerant
• Fire resistant
• Grows well in low fertility areas
• Used in intercropping system, Preferred for agroforestry
• Works well for erosion control
• Rohan is known for “Tree shade therapy”, a nature-based healing. to improve physical, mental, and environmental well-being
• There are over 100 Sanskrit names of Soymida febrifuga
  
  

Ecology

• The fruits and seeds of the plant are consumed by birds
• Mature trees with large branches or cavities serve as nesting spots for birds such as: Parakeets, Myna’s, Drongos and Barbets
• Attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators—these in turn attract insectivorous birds and reptiles
• Is a host plant of Bark-eating caterpillar, Hairy caterpillar, Longhorn beetle and Shot-hole borers
  
  

Uses

• The fruit is edible
• The leaves serve as a rich green manure and quality livestock fodder
• Soymida febrifuga bark extracts are used in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, asthma and ulcers
• The decoction of the bark has bitter resin used for treatment of vaginal infections, rheumatic pains, stomach pains, tongue sores, fixing loose teeth, gum infection
• Decoction of the root is used as an eye drop for eye cleaning and the redness of the eyes
• Gum is used as kajal for eye cleaning
• Leaf juice is used to control over bleeding in menstruation and to support general uterine health
• The tree bark is used for treatment of blood coagulation, anti-cancer remedy, anti-malarial agent, uterine bleeding, dental diseases, haemorrhage, anti-helminthic, refrigerant, anthelmintic agent, aphrodisiac, laxative, good for sore throat, removes vata and cures tridosha fevers, cough, asthma, laxative, diarrhoea, dysentery, as, fractures, wound healing, snake bites and boiled in water for bathing
• It is used as a source of fibre, dyes, gum
• Bark is used in skin colour restoration
• Rohan fruit has antimicrobial, anticancer, antioxidant, insecticidal, and anti-tubercular properties
• The wood is used in house building rafters, beams, for well work, plough shares, pestles, pounders, furniture, for carving, turnery, wooden flooring,
• A strong, red fibre is obtained from the bark. It is made into ropes
  
  

Propagation

• Seed
• Root sucke