BEL FRUIT

bel also spelled Bael, also called Bengal Quince (species Aegle marmelos), fruit of the bel tree of the family Rutaceae, found wild or cultivated throughout India. The trees bear strong spines; alternate, compound leaves, each with three leaflets; and panicles of sweet-scented white flowers. The tree is valued for its fruit, which is oblong to pyriform in shape and 50-250 mm (2-10 inches) in diameter. The fruit has a gray or yellow rind and a sweet, thick, orange-coloured pulp. The unripe fruit, sliced and sun dried, is traditionally used as a remedy for dysentery; the ripe fruit is sweet, aromatic, and cooling. The bel tree's wood is yellowish white and hard but not durable.