Date:
Alstonia scolaris - Indian Devil Tree
A Scholar's Award with intoxicating fragrance
By Alex Butova, the Witch of Herbs and Cats
...This fascinating rare plant with white, strongly perfumed flowers is
valued as a fast growing, impressive ornamental shade tree and is used to
serve as an alternative to quinine...
Popularly known as Devil Tree, as plant is believed to the devil's abode -
probably due to the intoxicating fragrance emitted by flowering trees,
especially at night.
The tree is of great cultural significance in the intellectual circle, as
traditionally its leaves were awarded to scholars and teachers during
convocation ceremonies by the Visva Bharati University (can't think of a better name
than Alstonia scholaris!). This tradition was started by Rabindranath
Tagore...
