Myrica esculenta
Myrica esculenta is a  tree or large shrub native to the hills of northern India and Eastern Part of Himayalan  states such as Arunachal  Pradesh  and Meghalaya and also found  southern Bhutan and Nepal.  Its common names include box myrtle, bayberry  and kaphal. Its berries are edible and are consumed locally. It is the state fruit of the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand.

Habitat

Known locally as kaphal or kafal, ( Sohphie in Meghalaya,  Maching in Nyshi Language  of Arunachal )Myrica esculenta is found in the hilly regions of northern India and Nepal, especially in the regions of Garhwal , Kumaon and Eastern  Part of Himayala of Uttarakhand ,Arunachal Pradesh,Meghalaya,, southern Bhutan and western Nepal especially at elevations of . It is also found at elevations below  in the midhills of Nepal. It is also found in Pakke-Kessang,Lower subansiri,kurung kumey district  of Arunachal Pradesh and some parts of Himachal Pradesh and Meghalaya.

Morphology
Myrica esculenta has a tree of medium height, about . Bark is soft and brittle. Leaves are conjoint,  feet long that has leaflets in pairs of 6 to 9 and has a width of . Flowers are of white color and are found in bunches. Fruit is a globose, succulent drupe, with a hard endocarp; diameter ; average mass . Seeds are triangular in shape and are astringent in taste.

According to Ayurveda, it has two varieties based on the color of flower: Shweta (white) and Rakta (red).

Chemical constituents
The bark is yellow and contains the chemical substances myricetin, myricitrin and glycosides. Leaves of the plant also contain flavone-4'-hydroxy-3',5,5'-trimethoxy-7-O-β-I-D-glucopyranosy)(1→4)-α-L-rhamnopyranoside; flavone-3',4'-dihydroxy-6-methoxy-7-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside; β-sitosterol; β-sitosterol-β-D-glucopyranoside and quercetin.

References

esculenta
Trees of Nepal
Flora of West Himalaya
Flora of India (region)