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Fish Poison Bush
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Fish Poison Bush
ative Photo: Tabish
Common name: Fish Poison Bush, Balsam tree • Marathi: रामेठा Rameta • Tamil: Nacchinar • Malayalam: Nanju • Kannada: ಮುಕುತೆ Mukuthe, ರಾಮಿ Rami, ಮುಕುಡಕ Mukudaka, ಏಣುಜಾರಿಗೆ Enujaarige, ಏನುಜಾರಿಗ Enujaarige
Botanical name: Gnidia glauca    Family: Thymelaeaceae (Daphne family)
Synonyms: Gnidia glauca var. glauca, Gnidia volkensii

Fish Poison Bush is a large shrub or a small tree, 2-3 m tall. Opoositely arranged stalkless lance-like leaves are 5-8 cm long. Leaves are mostly crowded at the end of branches. Yellow flowers occur in erect heads at the end of branches, 3-4 cm in diameter, surrounded by large hairy bracts. The flowers have 5 yellow, hairy petals. Staments protrude out of the flowers. Plant can cause dermititis. Stem and leaves are used to stun fish. In parts of Africa, bark extract was used to make poison for arrows used in hunting. Flowering: November-January.

Identification credit: Navendu Pagé Photographed in Karnataka & Maharashtra.

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