Balanites aegyptiacus: Floral Description: East Africa, Arabia, Egypt. Evergreen tree, fluted trunk, slow-growing, rounded crown, thorny branches, long straight green spines arranged spirally along the branches, smooth bark fissured, distinctive leaves with two grey-green leaflets, yellow-green clusters of flowers, yellow oblong date-like fruit , very hard pointed seed surrounded by bittersweet flesh, ripe fruit edible, young leaves and tender shoots. Medicinal Activities and Uses Used in Ayurveda and Unani. Bark juice poisonous. Antivenin, antidote for snakebites. Antifungal. Roasted seeds given in cough, seeds given to children in colic; oil from the seeds in treating burns; seed powder given internally as mild purgative. Gum from wood mixed with maize-meal porridge and eaten to treat chest complaints. Fruit pulp mild purgative; dried powdered fruits taken orally to prevent pregnancy; fruit paste put over the forehead for mig...