Neem, Azadirachta indica

-
Neem (Azadirachta indica, family: Meliaceae) is a hardy quick growing and much branched deciduous tree with grey, vertically fissured, rough bark. The nice looking tree is native to the Indian subcontinent and Myanmar. It can reach a height 30-40 m. 


Common names: Neem, Margosa tree, Indian Lilac.


Leaves are impair-pinnate; leaflets ovate-lanceolate, serrate marginated, oblique at the base, glabrous, acute at apex. Its nice looking blood-red new leaves appear in the summer.


Flowers are small, white and sweet scented in axillary bunch of panicles. Flower blooms in March-April. Neem tree is andromonoecious.


Neem is very important medicinal plant. Its leaves are antiseptic and antipuritic, hence very effective in scabies, itching and other skin diseases.


Brnnches are used as brushes of teeth and cure gum diseases. Recently birth control pills have been made from its seeds. Propagated of the plant is caused by seeds.

The fruit is a drupe. Olive-like fruits are matured in July-August. Fragrant, bitter and one-seeded fruit is yellowish when ripe.


There are many similarities between azadirachta indica and Melia azedarach (Ghora-neem). The prominent one is azadirachta indica, the other one is Melia azedarach.


This fast-growing tree is found everywhere in Bangladesh. Neem is derived from Sanskrit 'Nimba'. The leaf paste is used to cure ulcers and wounds. Smoke from burnt leaves is used to repel mosquitoes. The young branches and flowers of azadirachta indica are edible. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Week Star

Makal or Mahakal, Trichosanthes tricuspidata

-
Image
Makal or Mahakal ( Trichosanthes tricuspidata , family: Cucurbitaceae) is a woody climber with tendril and branches, attaining a height of 10-12 m. The multiangular-branched plant climbs up very far by holding any tree in the forest. It is found in the hilly areas as well as plain forests and village thickets in Bangladesh. It is also found in Indian subcontinent, Australia and some countries of South and Southeast Asia.  According to ancient Sanskrit scriptures the other names of the plant are Bishala, Mohendro-baruni.  In the Himalayas it has been seen at an altitude of 5000 feet. There are many refferences to the fruit in Bangla and Sanskrit literature. Someone is very nice to look at but he/she is useless--writers usually jokingly give examples of this fruit. Its roots and attractive fruits are packed with medicinal properties.  The size and shape of leaves may vary. These are multilobed or trilobed, alternate, rough in both sides, 5-12 cm long, petioled, cor
Read more

Parul or Fragrant padri tree, Stereospermum chelonoides

-
Image
Parul or Fragrant padri tree ( Stereospermum chelonoides , family: Bignoniaceae) is a medium or large-sized deciduous tree with branches, attaining a height of 25 m. Young shoots are pubescent. Bark is grey.  About this flower, a kind of literary madness has been found for a long period of time among the Bengalees. Although it is mentioned numerous times in Bangla literature, the tree is quite difficult to find in Bangladesh.  The great news is, 5 of its trees are found in the courtyard of Bangladesh Security Printing Press School in Gajipur. India is the original home of the plant. Leaves are compound, 60 cm long; leaflets are entire, 5-11, deep green, glabrous, petioled, elliptic-oblong, 10-15 cm long and 3-6 cm wide, apex acuminate. Flowers are sweet-scented, purplish, yellow at center, campunulate, 3-5 cm long, curved at the base and bronze in color, on terminal panicle; corolla tubular with short petals, petals 5. Flower buds are black and deep p
Read more

Guloncho, Heart-leaved moonseed, Tinospora cordifolia

-
Image
Guloncho or Heart-leaved moonseed ( Tinospora cordifolia , family: Menispermaceae) is a deciduous creeper with hard and long stem, climbing other trees or fences. Bark on the stem is as thin as paper. Aerial roots come out of the stem when the plant grows older. The plant is found everywhere in Bangladesh except southern part. It is also native to South and Southeast Asia.  Common names: Heart-leaved moonseed, Guduchi, Giloy, Guloncho, Guroncho, Padma guloncho. Leaves are simple, green, alternate, cordate, 6-15 cm long and 5-13 cm wide.  Inflorescence, growing from the axil of leaflet branches, bears yellow flowers. Male and female flowers bloom separately. Sepals 6, arranged in two rows, petal 6, pistils 3. Fruit is a drupe, brilliant red when ripe. This attractive fruit is inedible to human.                                                            What an extensive climber! Tinospora cordifolia is used in weakness, tastelessness, rheumatis
Read more