Botanical Description
Ipil (Intsia bijuga) is a large tree that reaches up to 50m tall with steep buttress roots reaching up to 4 meters in height. Its bark is a grey-orange with a light-brown inner bark. Its leaves are pinnately compound and arranged in an alternating phyllotaxy, each leaflet is coriaceous and is typically oval with varying leaf apices. Its flowers are borne on panicles, each one is bisexual and has a single petal which can be pink or white and are fragrant. The flowers develop into a dehiscent oblong-shaped woody pod containing a single row of black flattened oblong or orbicular seeds.
Uses
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The seeds are edible but can induce bowel movement if not properly prepared for consumption.
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Its wood is of high quality and is used for construction and woodworking.
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The bark is used in traditional medicine for treating diarrhea and urinary problems as well as dye production.
