Jarul - Pride of India Tree

Jarul - Pride of India Tree

Lagerstroemia speciosa

Summary

Scientific Classification

Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Dicotyledonae
Order: Myrtales
Family: Lythraceae
Genus: Lagerstroemia
Species: L.speciosa
Scientific Name: Lagerstroemia speciosa(L.)Pers.

Common names
English : Queens flower, queen crape, myrtle, Banaba plant or Pride of India.
Hindi: Jarul, Arjuna, challa, ajhar.
Marathi: Taman.

Discription

  1. Habit and Habitat: A small tree. Terrestrial habitat.
  2. Distribution: Indian subcontinent, Sourthen China, Indochina, Indonesia, Phillippines, Malaysia.
  3. Morphology:
    Leaf: Opposite, oblong, lanceolate or elliptic, subacute, base acute or riunded, coriaceous.
    Inflorescence: Panicle infloroscence.
    Flowers: Blue, very beautiful, in large panicles of many flowers, pedicles stout, hairy. Calyx tubular, hairs white, ribbrd with 12-14 stout ridges. Petals 6, purple, roundovate, clawed, much wavy and crumplrd, spreading.
    Androecium: Stamens many, purple, inserted near the bottom of the calyx-tube much exserted.
    Gynoecium: Ovary 3-6 celled, superior, sessile, ovules many, placenta axile, style long bent, stigma capitate.
    Fruit: capsules with loculicdal dehiscence.
    Seeds: seeds many, winged at apex.
    Flowering and Fruiting time: April-July.
  4. Propagation: By seed, Stem cutting.
  5. Importance:
    Cultivated in gardens and planted on the road sides, the seed are narcotic. The plant is one of the most important timber trees of India.
  6. Location: Botanical Garden, Play ground, Beside BCA building.

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