Terminalia arjuna (Roxb. ex DC.) Wight & Am.

COMBRETACEAE

 

Vernacular names:

Hindi             - Arjuna

Kannada        - Bilee matthi, Neeru matthi

Malayalam      - Neer maruthu, Vella maruthu

Marathi          - Sanmadat

Sanskrit         - Kukubha, Nadisarja

Tamil             - Marudha maram, Vellai maruthu, Kula maruthu,
                      Neer mathi

Telugu           - Erra maddi, Tittu maddi, Tell maddi

 

Threat status:

Lower Risk near threatened - KA & KL

Lower Risk least concern - TN

 

Habit: Tree

 

Habitat: In moist deciduous forests mainly along watercourses

 

Altitude: Up to 1400 m

 

Distribution: Global: India and Sri Lanka. National: Common throughout India. Regional: Fairly common along riverbanks and secondary deciduous forests in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Frequently planted along highways.

 

Description: A large handsome deciduous tree, 20-40 m tall, 2-7 mgirth. Trunk often buttressed, with many irregularly shaped large knot­like structures called 'galls'. Barksmooth, pinkish grey, pealing off into stiff thin layers; inner bark smooth and white, 6-8 mm thick, flesh-coloured when cut, exuding red resin that turns black on exposure. Blaze pink. Wood very hard, brown. Branchlets minutely hairy, robust, drooping. Leaves alternate or sub-opposite, elliptic-Ianceolate or oblanceolate, 7­20 x 4-8 cm, base rounded or slightly heart-shaped, apex rounded or acute, margin minutely toothed with rounded to saw-like teeth, hairless, leathery; lateral nerves 15-18 pairs; leaf stalks up to 1.5 cm long with two glands near the base of the leaf blade. Flowers bisexual, about 4 mm across, yellowish green, mildly fragrant, aggregated in 7-10 cm long branched axillary spikes. Drupes distinctly 5-angled and 5-winged, 4-6 x 2-3 cm, woody, brown when ripe. Seeds 1.

 

Phenology: Flowering: March to June; Fruiting: June onwards, persisting almost throughout the year.

 

Medicinal uses: Bark is used as cardiac tonic. Bark powder/decoction is used to treat heart diseases, bone fractures, skin diseases, polyuria, white discharge, giddiness, fever, leprosy, worms, excessive thirst, wounds, diarrohea and intrinsic haemorrhage. Fruits used externally to heal chronic ulcers.

 

Trade information: Stem bark is sold as Arjuna chaal. The bark was sold at Rs.6 to 20/Kg. (Market Studies, 1999-2000). Barks of a number of species of Terminalia are used as adulterants.

 

Mode of propagation: By seeds and stump planting

 

Special characters: The presence of galls on stems, leaves, flowers and fruits; strikingly smooth white second layer of the bark exuding a red resin; presence of two glands at the base of the leaf, leaves turning pinkish yellow when old and the broadly winged woody fruits are unique characters.