Common name: Barrigntonia, Freshwater Mangrove plant, Samundarphal समुन्द्र फल (Hindi), Nir perzha (Malayalam) Nijhira (oriya), Dhatripala (Kannada), Sathaphala (Marathi), Kurpa (Telugu), ஸமுத்திரப்பழம samudra pazham (Tamil)
Botanical name: Barringtonia acutangula Family: Lecythidaceae (Barringtonia family)
This is an evergreen tree of moderate size, called by Sanskrit writers Hijja
or Hijjala. The fruit is spoken of as Samudra-phala and Dhātriphala or
”nurse’s fruit,” and is one of the best known domestic remedies.
Also called Stream Barringtonia or Itchy Tree (after a catepillar with
irritant hairs that sometimes colonises the undersides of the leaves)
Barringtonia acutangula is a tree 5-8m high with rough
fissured dark grey bark, red flowers are produced on pendulous racemes about
20cm long. Four sided fruits are produced periodically throughout the year.
Partly deciduous in extended dry periods.
This species grows on the banks of freshwater rivers, the edges of freshwater
swamps and lagoons and on seasonally flooded lowland plains, commonly on heavy
soils. Found in Madagascar and tropical Asia, amongst other places.
Propagation is by seed. Tolerant of heavy clay soils with poor drainage, it
can grow in a range of soils. Frost sensitive. Full sun to part shade.
Medicinal uses:
This tree has long been used for medicine, timber and as a fish poison. In
traditional medicine, when children suffer from a cold in the chest, the seed
is rubbed down on a stone with water and applied over the sternum, and if
there is much dyspnoea a few grains with or without the juice of fresh ginger
are administered internally and seldom fail to induce vomiting and the
expulsion of mucus from the air passages. More
recently it has become the focus of research for pain-killing compounds.
Anecdotal reports of the bark being used to quickly relieve pain by
Aboriginals has led to the discovery of compounds with pharmaceutical promise
for pain relief.
| Photographed in Lodhi Garden, Delhi. |
Identification credit: Navendu Pagé
|
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