About Symplocos paniculata (Thunb.) Miq.
Symplocos paniculata (Thunb.) Miq. is a tree that produces intensely blue, fleshy fruits that are short-lived, because they are quickly eaten by birds. This tree has neat foliage, and its flowers are often fragrant. Its leaves have short petioles, vary in ovoid shape, and grow up to 3.5 inches (9 cm) long, reaching half that measurement in width. The upper surface of the leaves has some trichomes, and the veins on the lower leaf surface are much more pubescent. This species blooms in early summer, after its leaves have fully developed. Its whitish flowers grow in lateral clusters up to 2 inches (5 cm) long. Each hermaphroditic flower has five petals and thirty stamens; the stamens give the flower clusters a fluffy appearance. The tree's ovoid fruits most often contain a single seed. Symplocos coreana is a very closely related species that may be conspecific with Symplocos paniculata, and only differs by having broader, coarsely serrated leaves that bear many hairs on both sides. The fruit of Symplocos paniculata can be made into jam, though it may be difficult to collect enough berries because the plants cannot self-pollinate. Traditional Bangladeshi healers use the bark as an antidiarrhoeal, since it contains an antispasmodic compound similar to cromakalim. The bark is nontoxic at doses below 8 milligrams per kilogram of body weight.
