146
Putranjiva
roxburghii Wall.
Synonym : Drypetes roxburghii (Wall.)
Hurusawa
Family
: Euphorbiaceae
Local Names
: Poothilanji, Puthrajeevi,
Officinal Drypetes
Flowering
and fruiting period:
March – August
Distribution: Indo-Malaysia
Habitat: Moist and dry deciduous forests, also in
sacred groves
IUCN
status:
Data Deficient
Endemic: No
Uses: Anti-rheumatic, hedge plant. A
decoction of leaves and fruit is taken for the treatment of liver complaints,
colds, fevers and rheumatism. The hard, white seeds of the fruit are threaded
into necklaces and also used for rosaries. An olive-brown, fixed oil is
obtained from the seed. It is used for burning. The wood is sometimes used for
construction, turnery, tool handles.
Key
Characters:
Trees, to 20 m high, bark dark grey.
Leaves simple, alternate; lamina elliptic-oblong; margin serrate. Flowers
unisexual, small, yellow; male flowers: sessile, in axillary spikes; tepals
3-5, oblong, imbricate; stamens 2-4; female
