The Materia Medica of the Hindus, compiled from Sanskrit Medical Works c5.s6.t2.3

c5.s6.t2.3

“THIS is one of the largest of our Indian trees, often about one hundred feet high and the trunk thick and ramous in proportion. Flowering time the end of winter, when the tree is totally destitute of leaves. The great numbers of very large bright red flowers with which it is then covered make it remarkably conspicuous at a very great distance.” The thick stems are used for making large boats called kondas, from their being made by hollowing out the trunks. Some of these boats are large enough to carry a freight of a thousand maunds. The smaller floats are in very common use in Eastern Bengal, for crossing over rice fields during the rainy season. In fact during the rains these little floats, constitute the only mode of conveyance from village to village in low alluvial tracts. The thick beds and pillows of the natives are stuffed with the Cotton attached to the interior of the seed vessels of this plant, while the thin quilts and stuffed clothing for winter, are made with kárpása (cotton of Gossypium herbaceum).