53. Aesculus indica (Cambessedes) Hooker HIPPOCASTANACEAE

Indian horse chestnut; Hindi: ban akhrot, वन अख्रोट

A large, deciduous tree that can reach a height of over 30 metres in the Himalaya, where it occurs from Afghanistan to Nepal at altitudes of 1830 to 2440 metres. Its wood can be used for building purposes, for making water troughs, platters, packing cases and tea chests, and turned to make cups, plates and butter containers. The leaves are lopped for animal fodder and the fruits are eaten by cattle and goats.

Hand coloured lithograph of Aesculus indica from Curtis’s Botanical Magazine t. 5117