Indian redwood (Soymida febrifuga)

Soymida febrifuga, Indian redwood or rohan, is a dry-forest member of the mahogany family whose name means “fever-chasing”. Its bitter bark was once used against fevers, and its reddish, durable timber was valued for building. It contains no quinine and is not a fever treatment.

Botanical name: Soymida febrifuga (Roxb.) A.Juss.
Family: Meliaceae
Tamil: Somida
Hindi: Rohan
Parts used: Timber, Bark (historical; not a tonic)
Habit: Dry Meliaceae; neem is Azadirachta
Last updated: 2026-10-25

How to recognise Indian redwood

It is a medium to large deciduous tree with dark, rough bark that is red inside when cut.

The leaves are pinnate, with several pairs of opposite, oval leaflets and no terminal one.

Small greenish-white flowers come in large, open sprays. The fruit is a woody capsule that splits into five parts to release flat, winged seeds, much like a mahogany fruit.

Neem, Azadirachta indica, belongs to the same family but has toothed leaflets and small yellow-green berries.

Traditional use of Indian redwood

Historical medicine

The bark was used as a bitter and astringent in Indian practice and, in colonial times, tried as a substitute for cinchona bark. The tannin-rich bark was also used for tanning leather.

Indian materia medica

Timber

The dark red heartwood is hard and durable, used for beams, posts and temple woodwork.

Deccan forestry

Modern notes on Indian redwood

Chemists have described limonoids and other bitter compounds in the bark, typical of the mahogany family. There are no clinical trials.

Any fever in India needs testing for malaria, dengue and other infections, not bark preparations.

Indian redwood safety

Do not use the bark for fever.

Ecology and sourcing

It grows in dry deciduous forest and on rocky hills of central and peninsular India and Sri Lanka.

It sheds its leaves in the hot season and flowers on bare branches, so the large flower sprays are easy to see in late winter and spring.

Its winged seeds are dispersed by wind in the hot season.

Related plants

Also in Meliaceae

Questions about Indian redwood

Does Indian redwood cure fever?

No. The name records an old use; it contains no quinine.

Is Indian redwood related to neem?

Yes, both are in the mahogany family, Meliaceae.

What is the Hindi name of Soymida febrifuga?

Rohan.

Is the timber still used?

Locally, for posts and beams, but large trees are now uncommon outside forests.

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.