Aphanamixis polystachya (Wall.) Parker

Amoora rohituka (Roxb.) Wight & Am.

 

MELIACEAE

 

Vernacular names:

Hindi               - Harin hara

Kannada          - Mullu muttaga, Rohithaca

Malayalam       - C_mmaram

Sanskrit          - Rohitaka

Tamil              - Chemmaram, Vellai kongu, Pechambagai,        
                     - Melampuluvam

Telugu            - Chevamanu

 

 

Threat status:

Vulnerable (A 1 c) - KA & KL

Data Deficient - TN

 

Habit: Tree

 

Habitat: Moist deciduous to evergreen forest

 

Altitude: 700 - 1500 m

 

Distribution: Global: India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. National: Occurs almost throughout India except north and northwestern regions. Regional: Common in higher altitudes of Western Ghats and occasional in the Eastern Ghats of southern India.

 

Description: Trees growing 8-20 m tall with umbrella shaped crown. Bark smooth, about 5 mm thick, ashy brown, often mottled with green, reddish inside. Branchlets robust, often with small scurfy scales. Leaves alternate, odd-pinnate, 20-70 crn long; leaflets 9-15, opposite or sub­alternate, oblong-Ianceolate to egg-shaped-oblong, 8-25 x 4-1 0 cm, base unequal, apex abruptly acuminate, margin entire, leathery, hairless with distinct stalks; lateral nerves 12-17 pairs. Flowers unisexual, stalkless, dull-white; male flowers in branched spike as long as leaves, about 5 mm across; female flowers in simple spikes which are shorter than male spikes; both the spikes are usually drooping. Capsules globose to pear-shaped, 3-_ em across, smooth, shiny, yellow when ripe, splitting into 3-5 valves. Seeds 2 or 3, covered with scarlet aril.

 

Phenology: Flowering & Fruiting: September to November & January to July

 

Medicinal uses: The bark is used to treat enlargement of liver, spleen and abdominal complaints. Seed oil is applied in sores and as a liniment in rheumatism. Bark is used for treating tumours.

 

Trade information: Local and commercial. The stem bark is commonly traded as Roheda chaalor Rohitaka or Rakta rohida. Priced at Rs.20/Kg. (Mumbai Market, 1999-2000), Rs. 80/kg. (K.R. Keshava Murthy) .

 

Mode of propagation: By seeds

 

Special characters: Leaves are crowded at the end of branchlets. Flowering and fruiting spikes are distinctly longer and droop. Dehiscing capsules are yellow and the fleshy aril is scarlet.

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