Vern.: ‘ban, rinji’

Trees 6-18 m tall. Shoots puberulous to tomentose. Winter buds 1.5-2 cm long, covered with brown scales. Leaves elliptic-lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 6-15 x l.7-4.7 cm, coarsely serrate but not at the base, acuminate, penninerved, nerves 11-20 pairs, upper surface dark green, lower white tomentose; petiole 0.4-l.5 cm long. Male flowers in catkins, 6-14 cm long; bract ovate-oblong to oblong-orbiculate, c. 2 mm long; perianth tomentose, segments c. 1 mm long, obtuse or acute; stamens 4-6; anthers c. 1 mm long, hairy, oblong, apiculate. Cupule c. l.2 cm broad, sub-globose, enclosing half the nut at maturity. Nut 1-2 cm long, canescent, umbo tipped, glabrescent.

Fl. Per.: April-May. Fr. Per.: August-September.

Type locality: Described from Kumaon.

Distribution: Outer and temperate N.W. Himalayas to Nepal, Upper Burma.

Common and often gregarious on the southern slopes of the Himalayas from 1000-2700 m. The wood is used for building purposes and the leaves are used for fodder.