Millingtonia hortensis

Scientific Classification

Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Angiospermae
Class: Dicotyledonae
Order: Lamiales
Family: Bignoniaceae
Genus: Millingtonia
Species: M.hortensis
Scientific Name: Millingtonia hortensis L.f.

Common Names:
English: Jasmine Tree, Tree Jasmine, Indian Cork Tree.
Hindi: Neem Chameli, Akash Neem, Mini Chameli, Neem Chameli.
Kannada: Akasha Mallige, Beratu, Birte Mara.
Marathi: Latak Chandani, Kawala Nimb, Buch, Akash Neem.

Description:

1. Habit and Habitat: A very tall evergreen tree growing up to 25mts tall and 7 – 11mts wide. Preferably in moist and cold climate but can grow in any kind of soil and adapt variations in climatic conditions to greater extent.
2. Distribution: Tree is believed to be native to Myanmar and the Malay Archipelago and was introduced to India less than 200 years ago.
3. Morphology:
   Leaf: Imparipinnately compound leaf, with 3 – 5 pairs of pinnae on the either side of midrib and each pinna bears 3pairs of leaflets and a terminal one leaflet. Dorsoventrally distinguishable. Leafs are ovate with blunt tapering tip, smooth or wavy margin, petiolate. Characteristically base leaf is twice divided.
   Inflorescence: Terminal, large, drooping, panicles, about 10-40cms long.
   Flower: White to ivory colored flowers, pleasant fragrance. Flowers ressemble Jasmine but these are bit larger and longer.Calyx cup shaped, small, margine curved back. Corolla forms a long tube that wide opens at the top with 4 petals, in which 1 petal(cleft petal) which bifurcates and looks like 2 petals at the top. Pollination by moths.
   Androecium: 4 stamens, didynamous, one fertile anther lobe and other forms a spur, adnate to corolla tube.
   Gynoecium: Ovary sessile, ovoi; style long; stigma lingulate, compressed bilobed.
   Fruit: Capusle, compressed, about 45cms long, dehisce longitudinally along septum ie., septicidal dehiscence.
   Seeds: Numerous, winged, 2.5cms long.
4. Propagation: Through seeds, but in many places fruit setting is inhibited hence propagation is through root suckers (basal shoots/ root sprouts/ adventitious sprouts/ water sprouts).
5. Importance:
   Grown as ornamental tree in gardens, Avenues. Wood is used as commercially to create puppets in Myanmar, Burma, and neihbouring countries. Medicinal values: anti-microbial, anti-fungal, anti-oxidant, anti-proliferation activity, larvicidal activity.
6. Location: botanical garden, behind ranade hall, behind GSSc office.