546

Wrightia tinctoria R. Br.

Synonym	:	Allamanda verticillata Desf.
Family	:	Apocynaceae
Local name	:	English-  Pala indigo, Sweet indrajao Malayalam- Dhanthappala, Irumpala
Flowering and fruiting period	:	February-November
Distribution	:	India, Myanmar and Timor
Distribution in kerala	:	All Districts
Habitat	:	Moist and dry deciduous forests, also in   the plains
Endemic /Exotic		Endemic, India.
Uses	:	Used as anthelmintic (to destroy parasitic worms), anodyne (painkiller), antipyretic (fever), aphrodisiac (to stimulate sexual desire), astringent (skin related problems), carminative (gastric problems), depurative (removes wastes and toxins from the body).
Key botanical characters:  Deciduous trees; up to 15 m; bark 8-10 mm thick, grey, smooth; outer layer thin, inner layer thick, brittle, creamy; latex milky white. Leaves simple, opposite, distichous. Flower bisexual, white, scented, in terminal cymes appearing along with new leaves; bracts 2, minute. Calyx lobes 5, with membranous margin, ovate, obtuse, ciliate, glandular inside. Corolla salver shaped, lobes 5, oblong, obtuse, throat with 1-2 series of erect, fimbriate corona scales, Stamens 5, Carpels 2, free; ovules many; style filiform, stigma ovoid, usually with a toothed basal ring. Fruit of 2 follicular mericarps.