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CLASSIFICATION

ORDER	:  Geaniales
FAMILY	:  Meliaceae
GENUS	:  Melia
SPECIES	:  azedarach L.
BOTANICAL NAME	:  Melia azedarach L.
SYNONYMS	:  Melia azedarach var. japonica (G. Don) Makino
COMMON NAME	:  Chinaberry tree, Persian lilac, Pride of India.
TAMIL NAME	:  kattu vembhu.
HINDI NAME	:  Bakain.

PLANT DESCRIPTION

HABIT :  A large tree.

LEAVES :  Imparipinnate, leaflets 3-11, ovate acute, serrate, oblique.

FLOWERS :  Fragrant, lilac, in long axillary panicles, staminal tube purple.

FRUIT :  Drupe ellipsoid, 4-seeded.

FLOWERING AND FRUING TIME :  April-May.

MEDICINAL USES

Bark and fruit extract is used to kill parasitic roundworms. In Manipur, leaves and flowers are used as poultice in nervous headache.

Leaves, bark and fruit are insect repellant. Seed-oil is used in rheumatism.

Wood-extract is used in asthma.

Roots are bitter, astringent, anodyne, depurative, vulnerary, antiseptic, anthelmintic, constipating, expectorant, febrifuge,antiperiodic, and bitter tonic in low doses.

IMAGES

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