Exbucklandia populnea

The pipli tree is in the witch-hazel or Hamamelidaceae family and is native to the Himalayas, from Nepal to Bhutan, at altitudes of 1300-2100 m. It is also found in Assam, east to China, south to Malaya and Sumatra.

It is an evergreen, medium-sized tree, up to 36 m tall; the species name populnea indicates its similarity to poplars.

• The pipli tree trunk is branchless for up to 24 m, and can be up to 110 cm in diameter, not buttressed; bark surface is fissured with fine adhering scales, dark brown, inner bark fibrous, pink; the tree has a dense crown.
• Leaves are arranged spirally, simple, entire but palmately 3–5-lobed in saplings, on long stalks. Stipules are large, joined face to face.
• Flowers are borne in a stalked, 7–20-flowered head, bisexual or female. Bisexual flowers are without sepals, but with2-7 petals, 10-14 stamens. Female flower is as the bisexual one but with 0–4 petals and no stamens. Flowering is in May-July.
• Fruit is a woody head of 4-valved capsules, 6–8 seeds in each cell but only the lower 1–2 fertile and winged.