Arjun

Arjun

Scientific name: Terminalia arjuna

Taxonomic Position According to Cronquist (1981)

Kingdom: Plantae

Phyllum: Magnoliophyta

Class: Magnoliopsida

Order: Myrtales

Family: Combretaceae

Genus: Terminalia

Species: Terminalia arjuna

Botanical Description of Arjun

Habit: A medium to large tree, up to 25 m in height, bark smooth, whitish or pinkish-grey, branchlets somewhat horizontal, young branches pubescent.

Leaves: Leaves 6-12 x 2.5-4.5 cm, opposite or subopposite, oblong to obovate-oblong, coriaceous, light brown beneath, apex acuminate or acute, base oblique, rounded or slightly cordate, usually with a pair of dotted glands prominent at the base, margin slightly crenulate, nerves raised beneath, glabrescent to sparsely pubescent, petioles 0.3-1.5 cm long, pubescent to glabrescent.

Inflorescence: Inflorescence of spikes, usually 2.5-6.5 cm long, axillary or in panicles, rachis pubescent, bracts small, c 2 mm long, deciduous, linear-lanceolate.

Flowers: Flowers yellowish-white or pale yellow, sessile. Calyx 2-3 x 3-4 mm, glabrous outside, pubescent inside, lobes triangular, slightly curved, 1.0-1.5 mm long.

Androecium: Stamens 3.5-5.0 mm long.

Gynoecium: Ovary ellipsoid, 1.5-2.0 mm long, style 4-5 mm long, disc villous.

Fruits: Fruit an ovoid or ovoid-oblong, 5-winged liK3.5-5.0 x 2.5-3.2 cm, wings leathery, glabrous,truncate,less than 1.5 cm broad.

Economic uses: Bark is used as a medicine in the treatment of low blood pressure. It is regarded as a tonic, astringent and a cooler, and is used in contusions, fractures, ulcers, anaemia, biliousness and various other disorders. The juice of the leaves is considered as a cure for earache. Wood is very hard and is used in the construction of buildings, carts, boats and as beam supports. It is also used for making agricultural implements.