Alstonia venenata

Alstonia venenata R. Br.

Family       : Apocynaceae

Common Name : അണലിവേഗം (Mal)

: राजादन  (Hin)

: Poison Devil Tree (Eng)

Poison Devil Tree is a large shrub or small tree, growing up to 6 m tall with grayish brown bark and bright yellow hard woody root. Leaves are simple arranged in whorls of 3-6. They are lanceshaped, membraneous, with wavy margins. Flowers are white, occuring in clusters at branch ends. Fruits are fusiform, stalked and beaked follicles, tapering both ends. Seeds are flat with tufts of hair in each end.

Shrubs or small trees. Leaves whorled, 5 or 4 in each whorl, 12-20 x 1.2-3 cm, linear-oblong, acuminate at both ends; lateral nerves many, very close. Cymes terminal, to 20 cm across, corymbose. Flowers many; pedicels stout. Sepals 1 mm long, ovate, acute, ciliate. Corolla white, salver shaped, tube slender, hairy inside, lobes 13 mm long, oblong, acute. Stamens 5, included; anthers narrowly cordate. Follicle 2-angled, acute; seeds smooth.

Use: Roots and fruits are believed to be useful for skin diseases, leprosy, cobra and other venomous bites, epilepsy, fatigue, fever, syphilis, insanity, helminthiasis, epilepsy, as remedy for impure blood.

Distribution : Peninsular India (Endemic)

Flowering & Fruiting : February-August