846
Pongamia pinnata (L.) Pierre
Synonym
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Pongamia glabra Vent.
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Family
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Leguminosae
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Local name
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English - Hongay oil tree, Indian beech tree
Malayalam - Ungu, Ponnam
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Flowering and fruiting period
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April-December
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Distribution
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Indo-Malesia
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Distribution in Kerala
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All Districts
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Habitat
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Deciduous and mangrove
forests, also planted avenue tree
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IUCN Status
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Least concerned
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Uses
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It is applied as crude drug for the
treatment of tumours, piles, skin diseases and ulcers. The root is effective in
treating gonorrhoea, cleaning gums and teeth, ulcers, vaginal and skin
diseases.
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Key
Botanical Characters:
Evergreen trees, up to
18 m high, bark surface grey, smooth, speckled with brown. Leaves
imparipinnate, alternate, leaflets 5-7, opposite, estipellate;
elliptic-acuminate, elliptic-lanceolate, ovate or ovate-oblong, apex
acuminate, margin entire, glabrous, chartaceous; stipules lateral, small,
oblong, cauducous; rachis slender, pulvinate, pubescent. Flowers bisexual,
purplish-white, in lax axillary racemes, axis pubescent; bracts small,
cauducous. Calyx tube campanulate; minutely 5 toothed, apex truncate; corolla
exserted. Petals 5, clawed; standard suborbicular with curved folds above the
claw; wings obliquely oblong, slightly adnate above the claws to the obtuse
keel petals which are joined near the tip. Stamens 10, monadelphous, the
vexillary stamen free below and above; anthers uniform. Ovary subsessile,
inferior, 1-celled, ovules 2; style in curved, beardless; stigma capitate.
Fruit a pod, obliquely oblong, flat, thick, pointed at both ends, indehiscent;
seed one, reniform.
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