The Arjuna Tree
Family – Combretaceae
Scientific name –
Terminalia arjuna
COMMON
NAMES:
1) It is also called
as Arjun.
2) Terminalia is from the Latin terminalis, terminal.
3) The name is given
because in many species of the genus the leaves are clustered at the tips of
the branches.
4) Arjuna is the Latinized Hindi name for the tree,
arjun.
GENERAL
INFORMATION:
1) A large evergreen tree with smooth bark, grey with a greenish or reddish tinge, the colour varying with the size of the tree and season of the year.
2) The leaves on the lower surface have usually
a pair of glands close to the top of the leaf-stalk.
3) The leaves are
opposite or very nearly so (sub-opposite).
4) The flowers are
pale yellowish white, small but crowded along axes 2— 3 inches long at or near
the tips of the branches.
5) The fruit is a
winged nut 1—1.5 in. long, the wings usually 5 in number are not over 0.5 in.
wide and closely veined, the veins not spreading quite horizontally but tending
to curve upwards.
6) Very similar to
this is Terminalia tomentosa, a common forest tree seldom seen outside
forest areas.
7) It can be at once
distinguished by its rough bark, larger fruits with broader wings the veins of
which spread horizontally from the nut.
USES:
1) An excellent
shade tree and often planted on roadsides.
2) The bark is used
in native medicine as a tonic and astringent.
3) It is also used
for tanning for which purpose the outer bark is best.
4) If carefully
removed no injury is done to the tree.
PROPAGATION:
1) By seed which
should be sown so that half the fruit is below and half above ground.
2) If buried too
deeply the seed will not germinate.
3) To do well the tree
requires a deep and fairly moist soil.
4) It can be easily
transplanted from nurseries at one year old.
HABITAT:
1) Along streams and watercourses in Central and Southern India to Ceylon.
2) Often on very rocky
ground where the water is permanent.
3) In Northern India
it is occasionally found in similar places having become established from seed
washed down from planted trees.
