လယ်ဇ

Myanmar Name – Leza

Common Name – Tomentose crape myrtle, Tingou

Botanical Name – Lagerstroemia tomentosa  C. Presl

Family Name – Lythraceae

Habitat – Tropical and subtropical forests, grasslands, and disturbed areas, often in lowland and hilly regions. It is native to countries like India, Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia.

Habit – Grow up to 25 meters (82 feet) in height and has a tall, slender, and upright habit. It usually has a single trunk with a relatively narrow canopy.

Bark – Smooth, gray to brown, and often peels in patches

Leaves – Simple, opposite, and elliptical in shape. They are typically dark green and have a tomentose (hairy) underside, which is a characteristic feature of this species. The leaves can be around 10-20 cm long.

Inflorescence – Panicles of flowers, terminal, meaning they occur at the ends of branches.

Flower – White flowers, sometimes pale pink, with crinkled petals and borne in panicles measuring about 8 – 20 m long, sepals measuring about 3 – 4 mm long, numerous stamens clustered in the centre, ovary densely tomentose.

Fruit & Seed – Capsule, globose to ovoid-oblong in shape, measuring about 1 – 1.5 cm by 0.8 – 1.1 cm. Seeds (including wings) measure about 6 – 7 mm long.

Flowering and Fruiting Time – Flowering time from May to June and fruiting time from August to September.

Usage – the beauty of the flower, it is cultivated as a decorative plant. Diarrhea as medicine It is used to treat ailments such as diarrhea and skin diseases. making tool handles out of wood; It is used in small-scale applications such as small-scale handicrafts and making traditional wooden items.