A tropical Indian fig tree (Ficus benghalensis), often widely spreading because of the many aerial roots that descend from the branches and develop into additional trunks. It is planted for ornament and shade.
ETYMOLOGY:
Short for banyan tree, merchants' tree, from Portuguese banian, Hindu merchant, from Gujarati viyo, from Sanskrit vija. See wen-1 in Appendix I.
b
n
y
n
iyo, from Sanskrit v
. See wen-1 in Appendix I.
