Dichrostachys cinerea - Marabou Thorn

❏ Binomial Name : Dichrostachys cinerea (L.) Wight & Arn.

❏ Synonym : Alantsilodendron pilosum

❏ Family : Leguminosae

❏ Common Name : Marabou Thorn

❏ Tamil Name : Veduttalam

❏ Hindi Name : Veerataru

❏ IUCN status: Not Evaluated

Dichrostachys cinerea Botanical Description

Small thorny trees; to 6 m high spines axillary, straight, often leaf bearing; bark grey or brownish, with vertical fissures, peeling off in thin flake; branchlets densely pubescent, spine-tipped. Leaves bipinnate, alternate, stipulate; stipules 2, minute, lateral; rachis 30-65 mm, slender, pulvinate, pubescent; pinnae 5-15 pairs, 1.5-2 cm, opposite, even pinnate, slender, pulvinate, pubescent, with a gland between each pairs; leaflets 24-50, opposite, sessile, estipellate; lamina 0.2-0.3 x 0.1 cm, oblong, base obtuse, apex acute, margin entire, ciliate, tomentose, chartaceous; nerves obscure. Flowers polygamous, 2 mm across, in solitary or axillary paired spikes; upper flowers bisexual, yellow; lower ones neutar, pink or purple; bracts oblong; calyx tube campanulate, lobes 5; petals 5, lanceolate connate below, pubescent, valvate; stamens 10, free, exserted, anthers ending in stalked glands; ovary 0.5 mm, subssessile, pubescent; style 3 mm; stigma terminal, truncate. Fruit a pod, linear, flat, coiled, continuous within, indehiscent or opening from apex; seeds 4-6, ovoid, compressed. Fl. &Fr.: October-January.

Dichrostachys cinerea Medicinal uses

❀ The bark is crushed and applied on the forehead to cure headache.

❀ The bark used in the treatment of dysentery, headaches, toothaches and elephantiasis

❀ The leaves are diuretic and laxativ

❀ A powder from the leaves is used in the massage of fractures

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