Artocarpus hirsutus Lam - known by a variety of names, such as Aini, Aini-maram, Aani, Anhili, Anjili (Malayalam: ആഞ്ഞിലി) Description: Evergreen trees, up to 40 m tall. Leaves alternate, broadly elliptic-ovate, up to 18 x 12 cm, rounded at base, acuminate at apex. Flowers monoecious, on axillary pedunculate receptacles; the male receptacles narrowly cylindric, up to 15 x 1 cm; the female receptacles ca 15 x 9 cm. Perianth lobes 2, shortly connate below in male flowers; in female tubular. Stamen 1. Fruit a syncarp, cylindric – ellipsoid, ca 15 x 10 cm, echinate with long processes, orange when ripe. Seeds ovoid, up to 1.8 cm long. Flowering & Fruiting: January – May Distribution: India: In moist deciduous to semi-evergreen forests. Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Endemic to South W. India. A threatened species. Uses: Fruits are edible. Wood yellowish brown, sweet ,moderately hard, durable, seasons and polishes well, does not wrap or crack, not eaten by white ants, valuable for construction work (beams, rafters, door and window frames), panelling, flooring, furniture, cooperage, agricultural implements and boat building. It can also be used for tea boxes. Infusion of bark applied to cure pimples and cracks on the skin. Powdered bark used to heal sores; dry leaves useful in treating buboes and hydrocele; unripe fruit astringent, ripe fruit appetiser, cooling, aphrodisiac, useful in vitiated condition of vata and pitta, and anorexia.
Posted on: Sat, 10 Jan 2015 03:46:58 +0000
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