|
|
Alstonia scholaris
|
|
|
|
Family:
APOCYNACEAE
|
|
Citation: Alstonia scholaris (L.) R. Br., Mem. Wern. Nat. Hist. Soc. 1: 76. 1811; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 3: 642. 1882; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 810(569). 1923; Manilal & Sivar., Fl. Calicut 164. 1982; Mohanan, Fl. Quilon Dist. 250. 1984; Ansari, Fl. Kasaragod Div. 226. 1985; Ramach. & V.J. Nair, Fl. Cannanore Dist. 274. 1988; Antony, Syst. Stud. Fl. Kottayam Dist. 238. 1989; Babu, Fl. Malappuram Dist. 409. 1990; Vajr., Fl. Palghat Dist. 278. 1990; M. Mohanan & Henry, Fl. Thiruvanthapuram 288. 1994; Subram., Fl. Thenmala Div. 218. 1995; Sasidh. & Sivar., Fl. Pl. Thrissur For. 277. 1996; Sasidh., Fl. Shenduruny WLS 201. 1997; Sivar. & Mathew, Fl. Nilambur 407. 1997; Sasidh., Fl. Periyar Tiger Reserve 241. 1998; Sasidh., Fl. Parambikulam WLS 187. 2002; Mohanan & Sivad., Fl. Agasthyamala 434. 2002; Anil Kumar et al., Fl. Pathanamthitta 307. 2005; Sunil & Sivadasan, Fl. Alappuzha Dist. 418. 2009; Ratheesh Narayanan, Fl. Stud. Wayanad Dist. 515. 2009.
Echites scholaris L., Mant. Pl. 1: 53.1767.
|
|
Malayalam Name(s):
Daivappala, Ezhilamppala, Mangalappala, Pala, Yekshippala
|
|
Tamil name(s):
|
|
English name(s):
Devil tree, Shaitan wood
|
|
Description:
Large trees; height to 30 m; bark 10-15 mm thick, surface grey-brown, irregularly cracked and shallowly fissured, subverrucose, lenticellate; latex milky white; branchlets whorled. Leaves simple, whorled, 5-20 x 3-7 cm, obovate, oblanceolate or obovate-oblong; apex obtuse or emarginated, base cuneate or attenuate, margin entire, glabrous, subcoriaceous; petiole 5-12 mm long, stout, glabrous; lateral nerves many, slender, prominent, glabrous, parallel, looped near the margin forming intramarginal nerves; intercostae reticulate, obscure. Flower bisexual, 10-12 mm long, greenish-white in terminal umbellate cymes. Calyx cupular, lobes 5, ovate, unequal, obtuse, puberulous, eglandular. Corolla salver shaped, 4 mm across, lobes 5, obovate to orbicular, creamy yellow, spreading. Stamens 5, included; anthers narrowly cordate; disc obscure. Carpels 2, free, ovules many; style filiform; stigma obconic. Fruit of two linear, narrow, pendulous follicular mericarps, green, 30-40 cm long; seeds 5-6 mm long, flat, commate at both ends.
|
|
Habit:
Tree
|
|
Flowering & Fruiting:
October-February
|
|
District(s):
All Districts
|
|
Medicinal:
Yes
|
|
Habitat:
Moist deciduous forests and sacred groves, also in the plains
|
|
Distribution:
South and South East Asia to Australia
|
|
Aquatic:
No
|
|
Epiphyte(s):
No
|
|
Saprophyte:
No
|
|
Stem parasite:
No
|
|
Root parasite:
No
|
|
Flower colour(s):
Green, White
|
|
Weed:
No
|
|
Monocot/Dicot:
Dicotyledonous Plants
|
|
Exotic:
No
|
|
Garden:
No
|
|
Edible:
No
|
|
Vegetable:
No
|
|
Endemic to:
|
|
IUCN status:
|
|
Altitude:
400-750
|
|
Localities:
Peechi, Kattalappara, Puthussery, Koruthode, Parambikulam, Konni, Nedumpoyil, Taliparamba, Olavakkot, Mukkali forests, Thiruvizhamkunnu, Kasaragod, Aravukadu, Karimpuzha, Thenmalai, Bonaccord
|
|