Oroxylum indicum

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Oroxylum indicum
Plate from book Flora de Filipinas, Gran edicion, Atlas I. by
Francisco Manuel Blanco
, 1880-1883? where name is Bignonia quadripinnata, Blanco.
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Bignoniaceae
Tribe: Oroxyleae
Genus: Oroxylum
Vent.
Species:
O. indicum
Binomial name
Oroxylum indicum
Synonyms[2]
List
    • Arthrophyllum ceylanicum Miq.
    • Arthrophyllum reticulatum Blume ex Miq.
    • Bignonia indica L.
    • Bignonia lugubris Salisb.
    • Bignonia pentandra Lour.
    • Bignonia quadripinnata Blanco
    • Bignonia tripinnata Noronha
    • Bignonia tuberculata Roxb. ex DC.
    • Calosanthes indica (L.) Blume
    • Hippoxylon indica (L.) Raf.
    • Oroxylum flavum Rehder
    • Oroxylum indicum Vent. nom. inval.[1]
    • Spathodea indica (L.) Pers.

Oroxylum indicum is a species of

monotypic genus Oroxylum in the family Bignoniaceae.[2][3]: 128  It is commonly called Indian trumpet tree,[4] oroxylum,[5] Indian trumpet flower,[6] broken bones,[7] scythe tree[8] or tree of Damocles.[9] It can reach a height of 18 metres (59 ft). Various segments of the tree are used in traditional medicine.[9][10]

Taxonomy

Its genus name Oroxylum comes from Greek words ὄρος oros 'mountain' and ξύλον xylon 'wood', its epithet means "from India".[11]

Description

The tree grows up to 27 m (89 ft) tall with a trunk diameter of 10–40 cm (3.9–15.7 in) with gray bark. A mature tree has few branches

pinnate branches,[12] each branch is approximately 1 metre (3.3 ft) in length and comparably wide,[7][13] borne on petioles or stalks. All parts of the leaflet stalk grow at once, with dead stalks falling off the tree and collecting near the base of the trunk, looking like a pile of broken limb bones.[12][13]

The flowers grow from long pedicels at the end of 2-4 cm long

pollination by bats.[7][3]: 129  They form enormous seed pods – the fruits – are up to 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) long that hang down from bare branches, resembling swords.[7][14] The long fruits curve downward and resemble the wings of a large bird or dangling sickles or swords in the night, giving the name "tree of Damocles".[9] The seeds are round with papery wings.[15]

  • Fruit
    Fruit
  • Large Oroxylum pods sold at a market in Bangkok, Thailand
    Large Oroxylum pods sold at a market in Bangkok, Thailand

Distribution

Oroxylum indicum is native to the

Cat Tien National Park
.

It is visible in the forest biome of

rare, endangered and threatened plants of Kerala (South India). It is also found in Sri Lanka[16]
and also in Mizoram.

Ecology

Oroxylum indicum lives in relationship with the actinomycete Pseudonocardia oroxyli present in the soil surrounding the roots.[17] Septobasidium bogoriense is a fungal species responsible for velvet blight in O. indicum.[citation needed]

Phytochemistry

Various segments of O. indicum, including leaves, root bark,

biochanin-A, ellagic acid, tetuin, anthraquinone, and emodin.[9][18] Several of the compounds are under preliminary research to identify their potential biological properties.[9]

Uses

The tree is often grown as an ornamental plant for its strange appearance. Materials used include the wood, tannins and dyestuffs.[19]

In marriage rituals

The plant is used by the

Lao
in Laos.

In the Himalayas, people hang sculptures or garlands made from O. indicum (Skr. shyonaka) seeds from the roof of their homes in belief they provide protection.[20]

As food

Pickled caper-like flower buds of the scythe tree

It is a

plant with edible leaves, flower buds, pods and stems.[3]: 130  The large young pods, known as Lin mai or Lin fa in Loei, are eaten especially in Thailand and Laos. They are first grilled over charcoal fire and then the inner tender seeds are usually scraped and eaten along with lap.[21] Known as karongkandai among the Bodos of north east India, its flowers and fruit are eaten as a bitter side dish with rice. Its fruit are eaten as a side dish and water of boiled leave and bark as traditional medicine in Mizoram. It is known in Mizoram as Archangkawm. It is often prepared with fermented or dried fish and believed by them to have medicinal uses. The pods also eaten by Chakma people in Chittagong hill tracts of Bangladesh and India. Its called "Hona Gulo 𑄦𑄧𑄚 𑄉𑄪𑄣𑄮" in Chakma language
.

The plant is used as food by the Karen people. The flower buds are boiled and pickled. The young pods are cut open raw and the tender seeds inside, having the color and texture of lettuce leaves, are used in various local dishes.[22]

In traditional medicine

Oroxylum indicum seeds are used in traditional Indian Ayurvedic and Chinese medicines.[9] Root bark is one of the ingredients thought to be useful in compound formulations in Ayurveda and other folk remedies.[9][23][24]

In art

keris in the shape of the plant's seed pod called the keris buah beko.[25]

In mythology

Because the pods are shaped like swords, people in West Java believe planting oroxylum trees can protect their homes from thieves.[3]: 130 

The Onge name for the tree is talaralu.[26] According to an Onge myth, the first of the Onge people, also named Onge, was created by Eyuge (monitor lizard) from oroxylum wood. Onge made a shelter and planted oroxylum trees around it, and created more human beings from the trees. The trees were planted in pairs, giving rise to both Onge men and women. Only Onge people were created in this way; Onge mythology offers no explanation for the existence of non-indigenous people or other indigenous Andamanese peoples.[27]

Gallery

See also

References

  1. ^ "The International Plant Names Index".
  2. ^ a b "Oroxylum indicum (L.) Benth". The World Flora Online. World Flora Consortium. 2024. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e van Steenis, C.G.G.J. (1974). "Bignoniaceae". Flora Malesiana. 8 (1): 114–186 – via Naturalis Institutional Repository.
  4. ^ A Review on the Taxonomy, Ethnobotany, Chemistry and Pharmacology of Oroxylum indicum Vent
  5. ^ "Oroxylum indicum". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
  6. ^ "Ecoport".
  7. ^ a b c d "Broken bones tree". Flowers of India. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  8. ^ efloraofindia - Oroxylum indicum
  9. ^
    PMID 22923859
    .
  10. ^ India Biodiversity Portal - Oroxylum indicum (L.) Kurz
  11. ISBN 9781108640633
    .
  12. ^ a b Corner, E. J. H. (1952). Wayside Trees of Malaya. Vol. 1. Singapore: Govt. Printing Office. p. 166.
  13. ^ a b Phillipps, Anthea (22 April 2012). "The Midnight Horror Tree". Daily Express. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
  14. ^ Barwick M, van der Schans A (2004). Tropical and Subtropical Trees - An Encyclopedia. Portland: Timber Press. p. 304.
  15. ^ "Oroxylum indicum". eFloras.org. Dinghushan Plant Checklist, Chinese Academy of Science.
  16. ^ Theobald, W.L. (1981). Bignoniace. In: Dassanayake, M.D. and Fosberg, F.R. (Eds.). A Revised Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon. Amerind Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.
  17. PMID 16957120
    .
  18. doi:10.1039/JR9360000591
    .
  19. PMID 28356115
    .
  20. ISBN 9747315432
    .
  21. ^ Thai Dishes, Central Part And South Archived March 30, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  22. PMID 32498413
    .
  23. PMID 23326090
    .
  24. ^ Jayaweera, D.M.A. (1981). Medicinal Plants (Indigenous and Exotic) Used in Ceylon. Part I (Acanthaceae – Burseraceae). National Science Council of Sri Lanka, Colombo.
  25. ISBN 9789832457336
    .
  26. S2CID 39096375
    – via JSTOR.
  27. ISBN 9788791563041
    .
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