Terminalia arjuna
Arjuna fruit
Arjuna flowers with a Sykes's warbler
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Combretaceae
Genus: Terminalia
Species:
T. arjuna
Binomial name
Terminalia arjuna
(Roxb.) Wight & Arn.
Terminalia arjuna
Terminalia arjuna lower trunk

Terminalia arjuna is a tree of the genus Terminalia. It is commonly known as arjuna[1] or arjun tree in English.[2]

Description

T. arjuna grows to about 20–25 metres tall; usually has a buttressed trunk, and forms a wide canopy at the crown, from which branches drop downwards. It has oblong, conical leaves which are green on the top and brown below; smooth, grey bark; it has pale yellow flowers which appear between March and June; its glabrous, 2.5 to 5 cm fibrous woody fruit, divided into five wings, appears between September and November.[1][2]

The tree does not suffer from any major diseases or pests, but it is susceptible to Phyllactinia terminale and rot due to polystictus affinis.[3]

Distribution and habitat

The arjuna is seen across the Indian Subcontinent, and usually found growing on river banks or near dry river beds in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha and south and central India,Karachi Pakistan along with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.[1][4] It has also been planted in Malaysia, Indonesia and Kenya.[3]

Importance

Silk production

The arjuna is one of the species whose leaves are fed on by the Antheraea paphia moth which produces the tassar silk, a wild silk of commercial importance.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Biswas, Moulisha; Biswas, Kaushik; Karan, Tarun K; Bhattacharya, Sanjib; Ghosh, Ashoke K; Haldar, Pallab K (2011). "Evaluation of analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of Terminalia arjuna leaf". Journal of Phytology. 3 (1): 33–8.
  2. 1 2 "Arjun Tree". Eco India.
  3. 1 2 The CABI Encyclopedia of Forest Trees. 2013. p. 464. ISBN 9781780642369.
  4. ↑ Rastogī, Rekhā (2008). Let Us Identify The Useful Trees(New). Children's Book Trust. p. 7,8. ISBN 978-81-7011-919-7.
  5. ↑ M.P. Shiva. "Non-wood forest products In 15 countries of Tropical Asia". Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
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