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4. Crataevo religiose Forst. (.. Prodr. 35. (Fig. 107).
CAPPARIDACEAE
Crataeva roxburghii R. Br.—Crataeva odorata Ham.—Crataeva unilocularis Ham.—Crataeva
axillaris Prcsl.
Sinh. Lunu-warana; Tarn. Adicharanam, Adimalam, Anjali, Inaivilai, Kattumavilangai,
Kuvilam, Maluram, Maralingam, Mavilangai, Miguttiyal, Narvala, Nilluvam, Nirumahydm,
PcnamavJangai, Shuppigam, Shuvedam, Sinnamavilmgam, Tiriburamerittan, Varanam,
Villuvam; ///W/Tapia; Sans. Ajapa, Ashmarygna, Barhu'pushpa, Kumara, Kumaraka, Mahakapittha,
Maturapaha, Pasunadha, Sadhuvriksha, Setuka, Setuvriksha, Shikhimandal, Shvetadru,
Shvetadruma, Shvetavriksha, Tamala, Tiktashaka. Urumana, Varana, Varuna, Vasaha.
A small tree with a grey bark, much branched, the young twigs marked prominently with
leaf scars; leaves alternate, 3-foliate, deciduous, leaflets shortly stalked, 6.5—15.5 cm long,
6.5—9.5 cm broad, broadly oval, acuminate, tapering to base, entire, glabrous, the lateral
ones oblique, petioles 7.5—14 cm long; flowers bisexual, large, greenish-white appearing
with the new leaves, 5 cm diameter, arising from axils of bud scales below the new leaves forming
corymbose clusters, pedicels stout, glabrous, 3.7 cm long; sepals 4, free, distant, small, ovateacute,
inserted on the edge of a large, lobed disc; petals 4, 1.9—2.5 cm long, rounded-oVal with
a long narrow claw; stamens indefinite, inserted on the base of a long gynophore; gynophore
2.5—3.7 cm long exceeding the stamens; ovary superior, small, ovoid, unilocular with 2 parietal
placentas, ovules numerous; fruit a globose berry on the thickened woody gynophore now nearly
5 cm long, pericarp hard and smooth; seeds several embedded in the pulp.
Flowers during December.
Illustrations. Hooker, Ic, PI. pi. 178. 1837; Beddome, Fl. SyW.pl. 116. 1868—72; Herb.
Peradeniya, drawing.
Distribution. Occurs in India, Ceylon, Malaya, East Africa and Philippine Islands.
In Ceylon, it is rather common in the dry districts of Jaffna, Trincomalee, Dambulla, Kekirawa
and Hambantota.
India. Sikkim: J. D. Hooker, at 10,000 feet altitude. Siwalik and Jaunsar Div., Choudry
II, April 1920. Madras: Leghorn 44. Pen. Ind. Or., Herb Wight 83. Ceylon. Thwaites CP. 1067.
Central Prov., Peradeniya, Bot. Gard.,* cultivated, J. M. Silva, March 1910; Jayaweera 868,
Feb. 1952. Southern Prov., Hambantota, Herb. Peradeniya, Dec. 1882; Ruhuna National
Park, Komawa Wewa, Comanor 1155, March 1968; Comanor 408, Aug. 1967; Mahagajabawa,
Cooray 67100205, Oct. 1967.
Composition. The plant yields a gum. a saponin and tannin from the bark. It also
yields 3 crystalline products including lupeol and B—sitosterol.
Uses. The bark is useful for urinary complaints, fever and mild forms of skin diseases.
It relieves vomiting and gastric irritation. The fresh leaves are a good substitute for mustard
poultice. They are efficacious on gouty swellings, swelling and burning sensation in the soles
of feet, etc. In India, the plant is used as a stomachic, purgative, diuretic and as a snake-bite
remedy. In Ceylon, a decoction of the powdered bark is given for stones in the kidney or
bladder, dropsy and enlargement of abdominal viscera, scrofula and painful micturition. In
the Philippines, it is used as a stomachic, tonic and febrifuge, while in West Africa,
preparations of the leaf are administered for colic, indigestion and rheumatism.
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