An Ornamental Tree : Polyalthia longifolia (Sonn.) Thw.

Sanjeet Kumar

 

Polyalthia longifolia (Sonn.) Thw.

Common name: “Debadaru”

Botanical name: Polyalthia longifolia

Family: Annonaceae

Vernacular name(s)                                            Taxonomic classification

Hindi: Ashoka                                                             Kingdom: Plantae

Sanskrit: Devdaru                                                       Division: Angiosperms

Gujrati: Asopalav                                                        Order: Magnoliadles

Oriya: Godogobindo                                                   Family: Annonaceae

Telgu: Nara maamidi                                                   Genus: Polyalthia

Indonesian: Goldogan tiang                                         Species: longifolia

Distribution

Cultivated throughout India. Native to Sri-Lanka. It is distributed in Philippines, Malaysia.

Botany of Polyalthia longifolia

It is Tall evergreen tree; young branches slender glabrous. Leaves narrowly lanceolate, shining, glabrous, margin undulate, apex long-acuminate. Flowers yellowish-green, umbel and sometimes racemed on elongated tubercles. Sepals triangular, acuminate. Ripe carpels ovoid. Seeds smooth, shining.

Medicinal properties

The bark is used as febrifuge; all parts have anti-bacterial and antifungal activity. In Nigeria, plant parts are used to cure different types of skin infections.

Chemical Compound(s)

Leaf oil content sesquiterpene. Plant has many bioactive compounds such as allantoin, Polyfothine, penduline etc.

Common Use(s)

1. It is a common ornamental tree of Indian garden.
2. It is planted due to its effectiveness in alleviating noise pollution and due to columnar growth.
3. It is suitable for landscapes, as a hedge and as visual dividers in open space.
4. Timber is used for making boxes, pencils and long masts – that is why it is also known as the mast tree.
5. Polyalthia Longifolia is sometimes incorrectly identified as Ashoka tree      (Saraca Indica) because of very close resemblance of both trees.