Mallotus philippensis (Lam.) Müll.Arg. Euphorbiaceae
ETYMOLOGY: Derived from mallos = wool, and -otus = a Greek adjectival suffix referring to property; referring to the hairy fruit. COMMON NAMES: Kamala Tree, dyer's rottlera, monkey face tree, orange kamala, red kamala, scarlet croton • Hindi: कामला kamala, रैनी raini, रोहन rohan, रोहहनी rohini, शिन्द्धुरी sinduri • Manipuri: উরৈচৈাম লবা Ureirom laba • Marathi: के री kesari, ेंदरी shendri • Tamil: ைபிலப்சபாடி kapila poti, குைங்குமஞ்சணாறி kuranku-mañcanari • Malayalam: വചവങ്കാല്ലി cenkolli, കുങ്കുമപ്ൂമരം kunkumappuumaram, കുരങ്ങുമഞ്ഞള് kurangumanjal, നാവട്ട naavatta, നൂറിമരം nuurimaram • Telugu: కుంకుమ చెట్టు kunkuma-chettu • Kannada: ಕುಮುುಮದ್ ಮರ kunkuma-damara • Bengali: কমলা kamala • Sanskrit: कास्म्पल्यक kampilyaka.
FOI: Kamala Tree (pronounced kaamlaa) is a tree found throughout India. It has been in use as medicinal tree in India for ages. The tree can grow up to 10 m tall. Alternately arranged, ovate or rhombic ovate leaves are rusty-velvety. Male and female flowers occur in different trees. Female flowers are borne in lax spike like racemes at the end of branches or in leaf axils. Male flowers occur three together in the axils of small bracts. Capsule is trigonous-globular, covered with a bright crimson layer of minute, easily detachable reddish powder. Kamala is supposed to be a very useful tree. It is source of Kamala dye which is used in colouring silk and wool. It is used as anti-oxidant for ghee and vegetable oils. Oil is used as hair-fixer and added in ointment. Seed oil is used in paints and varnishes. Seed cake is used as manure.
MEDICINAL USES: According to Ayurveda, leaves are bitter, cooling and appetizer. Fruit is heating, Purgative, anthelmintic, vulnerary, detergent, maturant, carminative, alexiteric and useful in treatment of bronchitis, abdominal diseases, spleen enlargement etc. RECENT STUDIES: MA Smith et al 2012 has done Characterization of Novel Triacylglycerol Estolides from the Seed Oil of M. philippensis and Trewia nudiflora. A Daikonya et al 2002 has studied the Anti-allergic Agents from Natural Sources.(4): Anti-allergic Activity of New Phloroglucinol Derivatives from M. philippensis.
06.02.13 83. Smita Raskar
Falconeria insignis Royle Euphorbiaceae
ETYMOLOGY: In honour of Hugh Falconer(1808 – 1865) Scotish Doctor and Superintend of Saharanpur Botanical Garden, India.He studied the flora, fauna, and geology of India, Assam, and Burma, and was the first to suggest the modern evolutionary theory of punctuated equilibrium. He was the first to discover the Siwalik fossil beds, and may also have been the first person to discover a fossil ape.
SYNONYMS: Carumbium insigne (Royle) Kurz, Excoecaria insignis (Royle) Müll.Arg., Falconeria malabarica Wight., F. wallichiana Royle, Gymnobothrys lucida Wall. ex Baill.Sapium insigne (Royle) Trimen, S. insigne (Royle) Benth. & Hook. f., S. insigne var. malabaricum (Wight) Hook.f.
DIAGNOSTIC NOTES ON FAMILY: A highly heterogeneous family. Generally identifiable with special kinds of inflorescence, Unisexual flowers and Tricarpellary syncarpous and trilocular superior ovary.
COMMON NAMES: Tiger's Milk Spruce, Chinese Tallow • Hindi: र्खन्द्ना Khinna, र्खरुन Khirun • Marathi: Hura, Kirkind, ेरोड Sherod • Tamil: Karuppu-Chutai • Malayalam: Kalmaram കല്മരം , Kannampotti കന്നാമ്പാട്ടി• Telugu: దెవసదరోప్ీ Devasuroopi, గరభసదలా Garbhasula • Kannada: Kannupade, Kurda.
FOI: Tiger's Milk Spruce is a small tree, 5-10 m high, with horizontal branches, exuding poisonous milky juice. Oppositely arranged elliptic-lanceolate leaves with serrated margins, 16-19 x 5-8 cm, are crowded at the ends of branchlets. Leaves have pointed tips, base acute or wedge-shaped, unequal; leaf-stalk 4-5 cm long. Flowers small, unisexual, in terminal 7-9 cm long, upright, stout, spikes, with a whorl of linear scales at base. Male flowers less than 1 mm long, in sessile cluster, in the axils of adpressed bracts. During flowering, the tree has a curious appearance - it is completely leafless, with only long, sharp, upright spikes at the end of branches. Members of this genus are invariably hazardous. In Mexico, the milky sap is reputed to be harmful and the American Indians utilised it for poisoning their arrows. In Salvador, the sap is claimed to be poisonous and blistering in effect if in contact with the skin for which reason the trees are often left standing when the land is cleared. Flowering: December-January.
RECENT STUDIES: HB Liu et al 2012 has reported the Cytotoxic diterpenoids from this plant. HP Devkota et a 2010 has isolted A new phenolic compound, 4-dehydrochebulic acid-1, 6-dimethyl ester from its leaves.
05.02.13
82.Bhagyashri Ranade
Cyanthillium cinereum (L.) H.Rob. Asteraceae
ETYMOLOGY: Probably Greek cyanos , blue, and anthyllion , little flower, alluding to blue or bluish corollas.
COMMON NAMES: Little ironweed, Purple feabane • Hindi: Sahadevi िहदेवी • Marathi: Sadodi • Tamil: பூவங்குருந்தல் Puvamkuruntal •Malayalam: Poovam Kurunnu പൂവാംകുരുന്നു് • Telugu: Sahadevi • Bengali: Kuksim
FOI: Little ironweed is an annual or short-lived perennial to 50cm with ovate leaves. The stems branch repeatedly at the top to hold aloft the small cylindrical, purple flower heads. Flowers throughout the year. Originally from Central America, now a pantropical weed, it is sometimes considered native to Western Australia. Found in upland crop areas, waste places and roadsides throughout India. FPK-KFRI: Annuals or perennial herbs, stem ribbed, smooth or puberulus. Leaves variable, 2-8 x 1-3 cm, ovate, acute at both ends, thinly hairy below; petiole 1-2 cm long, slender. Heads 5 x 3 mm, in terminal corymbose cymes, peduncled; outer bracts minute, inner oblong, acute, cuspidate, hairy. Flowers 5-10, similar; corolla 3 mm long, glabrous. Achenes 1.5 mm long, hairy; outer pappus 1 mm long, setaceous, inner 3 mm long.
USES: The seeds yield a fatty oil and are used as an anthelmintic and alexipharmic; they are said to be quite effective against roundworms and threadworms. They are also given for coughs, flatulence, intestinal colic and dysuria and for leucoderma, psoriasis and other chronic skin-diseases. The seeds are made into a paste with lime juice and used for destroying pediculi. It is one of the 10 medicinal plant combination 'Dashapushapam' and has much religious significance in Kerala.
RECENT STUDIES: MA Haque et al 2013 has Evaluated the anti-diarrheal and anti-diabetic activities of the stem, barks and leaves of this plant. M Khay et al 2012 has studied the HPLC analysis and cytotoxic activity of this plant. VRK Thiagarajan and P Shanmugam in 2012 has studied the Ameliorative effect of this plant in vincristine-induced painful neuropathy in rats
04.02.13 81. Satish Phadke
Acrocarpus fraxinifolius Arn. Caesalpiniaceae
ETYMOLOGY: 'Acro' Means Tip and 'Carpus' means Fruit alluding to the position of pods bearing at the tip of the branches.
DIAGONOSTIC NOTES ON CAESALPINIACEAE: Trees, shrubs, climbers, very rarely herbs. Leaves mostly alternate, mostly pinnate or bipinnate, pinnae or leaflets 1-many pairs rarely simple or unifoliolate. Stipules paired, mostly caducous, stipels may or may not be present. Inflorescence axillary or terminal, rarely leaf opposed, raceme or panicle. Flowers zygomorphic, rarely actinomorphic, mostly bisexual. Sepals 5 or 4 by the union of 2, free or partly united, imbricate or rarely valvate. Petals 5 or fewer, rarely absent, imbricate, adaxial inner most. Stamens 10 or fewer, rarely numerous, free to variously connate; extra staminal disc sometimes present. Pistil unicarpellary, ovary unilocular, ovules 1 to many, style single, undivided. Fruit a legume or indehiscent drupaceous and samaroid. Seeds sometimes arillate, rarely with endosperm.
COMMON NAMES: Pink Cedar, Acrocarpo, Australian ash, Indian ash, Kenya coffee shade, Mundani, Red cedar, Shingle tree • Hindi: मिंडाननया Mandania, मिंधानी Mandhani, मुिंडानी OR मुिंदानी Mundani • Manipuri: মুন Mun, মুন্দনী Mundani • Marathi: टोकफळ Tokphal • Tamil: மகலக்சைான்கற malai-k-konrai • Malayalam: Karangan കരങ്ങാന്, Kurangadi കുരങ്ങാടി, Narivenga നരിവങ്ങ• Kannada: Belangi, Hantige • Bengali: মুন্দনী Mundani
FOI: Pink Cedar is a fast-growing tree, which can reach 30-60 m in height. The straight trunk has spurs and the round crown is composed of rising branches. The leaves are bipinnate, about 30 cm with 3-4 compound leaflets and consisting of 5-6 elliptical, lancelike leaflets 7-10 cm long and arranged in pairs. The leaves are bright red when young, giving the tree its characteristic appearance. The wood of Pink Cedar is hard and strong. Because it physically resembles ash and walnut woods, it is used as a substitute for these two species. The wood is used in the construction of houses and in the manufacture of furniture and packing cases. In Africa the tree is planted to provide shade in coffee plantations. The flowers are scarlet red and arranged in axillary racemes. Flowers appear on tree when leafless, up to 20 dense heads hanging down from branch ends, each 12 cm long, dripping nectar from the reddish-green to orange flowers. Fruit is an elongated and flattened pod, narrowly winged, 10-18 seeded.
RECENT STUDIES: R Trianoski et al 2012 has studied the Feasibility of using A. fraxinifolius in different proportion with Pinus taeda for production of particleboard.
USES: The foliage can be used as fodder. Apiculture: A. fraxinifolius is a good source of nectar and a good bee forage. Fuel: The wood is sometimes used for firewood in many places. Timber: The sapwood is whitish; the heartwood is bright red to brownish-red with darker veins, making it very decorative. A. fraxinifolius has been recommended for reinforcing riverbanks and stabilizing terraces. Shade or shelter: Ideal as a shade tree on tea and coffee plantations, for example, as planted in Kenya and Uganda. Known to have been planted as a windbreak in Tanzania. Reclamation: Very good for reforestation of open areas. Soil improver: Leaves are suitable for mulching.
03.02.13 80. N Arun Kumar
Oxalis triangularis A. St.-Hil. Oxalidaceae
ETYMOLOGY: From 'Oxys' The Greek word for Acid, Alluding to the Acid taste of the Leaves and Vegetative Parts. COMMON NAMES: Purple Shamrock, Love plant
DIAGONOSTIC NOTES ON OXALIDACEAE: Flowers with five petals , Ten stamens in two rings of five , A superior seed capsule with five parts, No stipules They often have a fleshy aril to fling the seed from the pod Often have folded leaflets.
FOI: Purple Shamrock is beautiful plant found in Brazil. It is a low growing clump-forming herbaceous plant that reaches a height of 7- 10 inches with a spread of 10-15 inches. Leaves are purple, trifoliate with leaflets shaped like inverted triangles. The flowers are white or pale purple, that are funnel-shaped, and can be produced both by seeds and rhizomes.
USES: Leaves - raw or cooked, contain oxalic acid, which gives them their sharp acid flavour.
RECENT STUDIES: S Huh et al 2010 has studied the Melanogenesis inhibitory effect of fatty acid alkyl esters isolated from O. triangularis. E Alexandra et al 2001 has studied the Anthocyanins from O. triangularis as potential food colorants.
02.02.13 79. Rahul Sharma
Zinnia elegans Jacq. Asteraceae
ETYMOLOGY: The name honors genus German botanist Johann Gottfried Zinn (1727–59). He described the orchid genus Epipactis. Zinn made a great contribution to the study of anatomy. In his book Descriptio anatomica oculi humani, he provided the first detailed and comprehensive anatomy of the human eye.
COMMON NAMES: Zinnia, Common zinnia
FOI: Originally coming from Mexico, this is a very popular flower, with its wide range of colours and sizes. Many varieties differing in weight, shape, size and colour have been evolved. The leaves are oval and rough textured. There are single, semi-double or double flowers and the colours range from white, cream, yellow, orange over rose, purple scarlet, maroon, to lilac, lavender, magenta, mauve, salmon to violet. Grown as tall (75 - 90 cm), medium (45 - 60 cm) and dwarf (15 - 45 cm) varieties, Zinnias are suitable for beds, borders, and pots. The cut flowers are commonly used in flower arrangements. They are grown by seeds and survive best in light and medium loam soils, rich in organic matter and in a sunny environment. Frequent and heavy watering is required. Generally, there is no damage from insects.
USES: A number of species of zinnia are popular ornamental plants. Their varied habits allow for uses in several parts of a garden, and their tendency to attract butterflies and hummingbirds is seen as desirable.
RECENT STUDIES: H Amjazi and M Hamidpour studied the Effects of phosphorus, vermin compost and natural zeolite on quantitative and qualitative characteristics of Z. elegans. GP Rao et al in 2012 has Characterized an isolate of 'Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris' infecting Z. elegans in India.
01.02.13 78. N Arun Kumar
Nerium oleander L Apocynaceae
ETYMOLOGY: From Greek, the Name Nerium was given to the oleander plant by Dioscorides
DIAGONOSTIC NOTES ON APOCYNACEAE: The dogbane family consists of trees, shrubs, herbs, or lianas; most of them exuding milky latex if injured. The leaves are simple, usually opposite and decussate, or whorled; lacking stipules. Flowers are usually showy, actinomorphic, aggregated in cymose or racemose inflorescences (rarely fasciculate or solitary). They are perfect (bisexual), with a synsepalous, five-lobed calyx united into a tube at the base. Inflorescences are terminal or axillary. Five petals are united into a tube with four or five epipetalous stamens. The style is expanded at the apex into a massive clavuncle just below the stigma. The ovary is usually superior, bicarpellary, and apocarpous, with a common fused style and stigma.
COMMON NAMES: Oleander • Hindi: Kaner कनेर • Manipuri: কবীরৈ Kabirei • Tamil: அைைி Arali • Bengali: Raktakarab
FOI: Beautiful blossoms, of fragrant pink flowers in bunches, at the tip of branchlets rendering an eye-catching sight that is 'Oleander'. A native of India and the Mediterranean, it is now widely grown in tropical and subtropical gardens, parks, avenues, and is popular for its hue and fragrance. It rises up to 3 meters erect with its short branches and dark dusty green leathery narrow leaves, which grow in whorls. The are narrow lance like, 5-21 cm long and 1-3.5 cm broad, and with an entire margin. The flowers grow in clusters at the end of each branch; they are white, pink or yellow, 2.5-5 cm diameter, with 5 petals fringed at the base. They are often, but not always, sweetly scented. The fruit is a long narrow capsule 5-23 cm long, which splits open at maturity to release numerous downy seeds. The plants are almost free from pests and diseases and untouched by cattle and goats, due to their toxicity. In India they are thus the most favoured plants for the road dividers, where a plant has to withstand heat and dust, and little water. There are single and double forms in white, pink and red. Several other cultivars have been developed - once example is a popular variety called 'Petit Salmon' which is a dwarf that grows to only 4 ft (1.2 m).
USES: Oleander grows well in warm subtropical regions, where it is extensively used as an ornamental plant in landscapes, in parks, and along roadsides. Despite the danger, oleander seeds and leaves are used to make medicine. Oleander is used for heart conditions, asthma, epilepsy, cancer, painful menstrual periods, leprosy, malaria, ringworm, indigestion, and venereal disease; and to cause abortions. A fixed combination of oleander leaf powdered extract, pheasant's eye fluid extract, lily-of-the-valley fluid extract, and squill powdered extract has been used for treating mild heart failure. Oleander is sometimes applied to the skin to treat skin problems and warts.
RECENT STUDIES: A Argiropoulos and S Rhizopoulou 2013 has studied the Morphological features of petals of N. oleander. MAHM Jamal et al 2012 has conducted the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration Analysis of N. oleander against Bacterial Pathogens
31.01.13
77. Vinaya Raj V R
Averrhoa carambola L Oxalidaceae
ETYMOLOGY: Averrhoa: named after Averrhoes (1126-98), an Arab philosopher.
DIAGONOSTIC NOTES ON OXALIDACEAE: Flowers with five petals , Ten stamens in two rings of five , A superior seed capsule with five parts, No stipules They often have a fleshy aril to fling the seed from the pod Often have folded leaflets
COMMON NAMES: Carambola, Star fruit • Urdu: कमरख़ Kamrakh • Hindi: Karmal करमल • Manipuri: লহচনৌচজাম Heinoujom • Malayalam: Chaturappuli ചതുരപ്ുളി• Tamil: Tamarattai
FOI: A slow growing small tropical tree, no more than 25 feet tall, originally from Southeast Asia (Indonesia) The green leaflets are sensitive to light and fold inward at night. It has small, pink colored flowers with a dark-red heart. The carambola plant will flower and fruit four times yearly. This tropical fruit, fleshy five lobbed, ovate to elliptoid, is attractive yellow-orange and pleasantly aromatic! The tree flowers and bears fruit almost year-round. When sliced in cross section a perfect star is formed. Carambola is eaten fresh or in fruit salads. The carambola tree seems to be used for bonsai.
FPK-KFRI: Tree, to 15 m tall; branches often drooping; young parts yellowish-pubescent to reddish-glabrescent. Leaves scattered; rachises to 20 cm long; leaflets 3-6 pairs, variable, acute to acuminate at apex, to 10 x 4 cm, glaucous beneath; lateral nerves 4-10 pairs. Inflorescences axillary, rarely on branches, to 6 cm long; pedicels 3-6 mm long; jointed above middle. Sepals obovate or oblong-ovate to 3-angled, acute to obliquely emarginate, to 4 x 2 mm, subglabrous, bright red, yellowish brown with pale margin when dry. Petals obovate to lanceolate, connate above ca 1 mm long claw, glabrous or with minute septate-glandular hairs inside. Shorter stamens without anthers; filaments often swollen at base, to 4.5 mm long. Ovary ellipsoid, ca 2.5 mm long, appressed-puberulous mainly on ribs; ovules 3-5 in each locule; styles to 2 mm long. Fruits ovoid to ellipsoid with 5 acute longitudinal ridges, stellate in cross section, lobed at both ends, to 12 x 6 cm, shining, yellowish green; seeds to 10, 12 x 5 mm; aril 2-lipped, enclosing seed, fleshy.
USES: Fruits are refreshing eaten fresh, mixed with other fruits, in salads, or processed into drinks. They are also stewed, pickled or used for chutney and jam. The fruit flavour is enhanced by peeling off the ‘wing’ edges, which removes most of the oxalic acid. Because the fruit is extremely perishable it must be consumed locally. Some Brazilian cultivars have a very high content of vitamin C as well as an applicable amount of provitamin A. Unripe fruit of A. carambola contains potassium oxalate, which is used in dyeing. Fruit can be a laxative on account of the oxalic acid it contains. It is also used in traditional medicine for skin disorders and fevers.
RECENT STUDIES: YS Lim and ST Lee in 2013 has studied the Antioxidant Capacities of Star Fruit. BN Das and M Ahmed in 2012 has established the Antibacterial and Cytotoxic Activities of the Fruit Extract of A. carambola.
30.01.13 76. Sanjeev Lale
Acacia farnesiana (L.) Willd. Mimosaceae (Leguminosae)
ETYMOLOGY: Derived form the Greek word 'Akis' Means a sharp point or thorn alluding to the presence of sharp thorns in some species.
DIAGONOSTIC NOTES ON MIMOSACEAE: Trees, shrubs or very rarely herbs. Leaves bipinnate, rarely unipinnate; stipules present, sometimes spinescent. Inflorescence generally a spike or umbel, rarely racemose or globose umbels; bracts small. Sepals usually 5, imbricate or valvate, generally fused together, toothed or lobed. Petals usually 5, valvate, free or fused, corolla lobed, hypo- or slightly perigynous. Stamens few to many, free or monadelphous or adnate to base of corolla tube; anthers versatile, often crowned by a deciduous gland. Pistil monocarpellary; ovary unilocular; ovules mostly numerous, style filiform; stigma terminal. Fruit dehiscent or indehiscent, sometimes schizocarpic; seeds mostly ovate to orbicular; aril rarely present.
COMMON NAMES: Mimosa bush, Needle bush, Cassie flower, Fragrant acacia, Ironwood, Sweet acacia, Sweet wattle • Hindi: गुह बबूल Guh baboool, Gukikar, Gandh babool • Manipuri: Chigong lei • Marathi: गुकीकर Gukikar • Telugu: Nagatumma • Kannada: Kasturigibbali • Hindi: ગંધેલો બબ ૂલ Gandhelo babul• Oriya: Kapur • Tamil: Kadivel, ைஸ்தூரிலவல் Kasthurivel, பீக்ைருலவல் Pikkaruvel • Assamese: তৈুৱা কদম Tarua kadam • Bengali: Guyababula
FOI: Mimosa Bush is a shrub which usually grows to a height of around 1 to 1.5 metres, but it can grow up to 8 m tall. Almost every part of the plant contains sharp thorns. The slightly rough stems are a rich chocolate brown or grey, possessing long, sharp, multiple thorns. The small, yellow, puff-like flowers are very fragrant and appear in clusters in late winter then sporadically after each new flush of growth, providing nearly year-round bloom. The persistent fruits have a glossy coat and contain seeds which are cherished by birds and