Bridal-couch tree (Hymenodictyon orixense)

Hymenodictyon orixense is a deciduous tree of dry Indian forests, a member of the coffee family with large, pale, leaf-like bracts among its flowers. It was first described as a species of Cinchona, the quinine tree, and its bitter bark was once used in similar ways. It is a forest tree with a history, not a medicine to try at home.

Botanical name: Hymenodictyon orixense (Roxb.) Mabb.
Family: Rubiaceae
Tamil: Vella kadambu
Hindi: Bhurkunda
Parts used: Timber
Habit: Winged-seed Rubiaceae; kadambam is a shop word
Last updated: 2026-10-25

How to recognise Bridal-couch tree

The leaves are large, broad and opposite, crowded at the branch tips, and often turn red before they fall in the dry season.

Small, greenish-white, scented flowers come in long branched spikes. Here and there a flower stalk carries a big, pale, papery bract that looks like an extra leaf. The genus name means “membrane net”, describing the netted bracts and winged seeds.

The fruit is a capsule that splits to release many flat seeds, each surrounded by a thin, netted wing.

Kadam, Neolamarckia cadamba, also belongs to the coffee family but has round, orange, ball-like flower heads and no papery bracts.

Traditional use of Bridal-couch tree

Historical fever bark

Roxburgh named it Cinchona orixensis because the bitter bark resembled cinchona bark, and it was used locally against fevers. It contains no quinine, so it is not a substitute for antimalarial treatment.

Colonial-era Indian materia medica

Timber

The light, soft wood has been used for packing cases, toys and matchwood.

Indian forestry

Modern notes on Bridal-couch tree

Chemical studies of the bark report coumarins and bitter compounds such as hymenodictyonine. None of this has led to a clinical use.

Its main modern interest is as a fast-growing native of dry deciduous forest.

Bridal-couch tree safety

Do not use the bark for fever. Fevers in India need testing for malaria, dengue and other infections.

Ecology and sourcing

It grows on dry, rocky hillsides and in deciduous forest from the Himalayan foothills to the south, and on into China and Southeast Asia.

The winged seeds travel on the wind, so it regenerates well in open, disturbed forest.

Related plants

Also in Rubiaceae

Questions about Bridal-couch tree

Is Bridal-couch tree a quinine tree?

No. It was once placed in Cinchona, but it contains no quinine.

What older names does Hymenodictyon orixense go by?

Hymenodictyon excelsum, and Cinchona orixensis before that.

What is the Hindi name of Hymenodictyon orixense?

Bhurkunda.

Sources

Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.