acmdu1881@americancollege.edu.in 0452-2530070
acmdu1881@americancollege.edu.in 0452-2530070
Campus Trees

Wrightiatinctoria

பாலைமரம்

Family:  Apocynaceae

Common Names: Vettupala, Pala indigo, Sweet indrajao

Flowering Period: February-November

Description

  • Sweet Indrajao is a small, deciduous tree with a light Gray, scaly smooth bark.
  • Native to India and Burma.
  • From a distance, the white flowers may appear like snowflakes on a tree.
  • The fruits pendulous, long paired follicles joined at their tips. The hairy seeds are released as the fruit dehisces.
  • The leaves of this tree yield a blue dye called Pala Indigo. Supposedly a few drops of its sap in milk prevent curdling and enhance its shelf life, without the need to refrigerate.

uses:

  • It is made into cups, plates, combs, pen holders, pencils and bed stead legs.
  • The leaves are applied as a poultice for mumps and herpes and sometimes, they are also munched to relieve toothache.
  • The bark and seeds are effective against psoriasis and non-specific dermatitis. It has anti-inflammatory and anti-dandruff properties and hence is used in hair oil preparations.