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2. Termroalia arjuna Wight and Arn., Prodr. 314. 1834. (Fig. 113).<br />
COMBRETACEAE<br />
Terminalia berryi Wight and Arn.—Terminalia glabra Wight and Arn.—Terminalia ovalifolia<br />
Rottl.—Pentaptera arjuna Roxb.—Pentaptera glabra Roxb.—Pentaptera angusti/olia Roxb.<br />
Engl. White Murdah; Sink. Kumbuk; Tarn. Attumarudu, Kulamarudu, Marudu,<br />
Nirmarudu, Vellaimarudu; Hindi Anjan, Anjani, Arjan, Arjun, Arjuna, Jarala, Kahu, Kahua,<br />
Kaugach, Khawa, Koha, Kowa; Sans. Arjuna, Chitrayodhi, Dhananjaya, Dhanvi, Dhavala,<br />
Gandiri, Gandivi, Indradru, Indradruma, Indrasunu, Kakubha, Karaviraka, Karnari, Kaunteya,<br />
Kiriti, Krishnasarathi, Nadisarja, Pandava, Partha, Phalguna, Prithaja, Savyasachi, Shambara,<br />
Shivamallaka, Vairantak, Vira, Virataru, Viravriksha.<br />
A very large tree with a buttressed, spreading base and horizontally spreading branches,<br />
bark pinkish or greenish-white, smooth, flaking off in large flat pieces, young twigs<br />
finely pubescent; leaves simple, opposite or sub-opposite without stipules, 7.5—15 cm long,<br />
4_7 cm broad, oblong or oval-oblong, rounded at both ends, obscurely apiculate, very shallowly<br />
serrate—crenate in the upper part, glabrous but not shining on both sides, pale dull green, veins<br />
arcuate, pellucid, petioles very short, 6—10 mm long with 1 or 2 prominent glands at the top<br />
immediately beneath the leaf; flowers regular, polygamous, sessile, greenish-white strongly<br />
honey scented, in rather lax spikes which are short, axillary or in small terminal panicles;<br />
bracteoles linear—lanceolate, shorter than the flowers, caducous; sepals 5, fused into a tube<br />
adnate to the ovary, limbs nearly glabrous on both sides; petals absent; disc with a few long<br />
white hairs; stamens 10, distinct, five often longer, inserted on the calyx-tube outside the annular<br />
epigynous hairy disc; ovary inferior, unilocular with 2 or 3 pendulous ovules; fruit an indehiscent<br />
drupe, 3.5—5 cm long, obovate-ovoid, somewhat narrowed at base, bluntly pointed, glabrous,<br />
fibrous-woody, with 5, stifT, hard, projecting wings becoming wider upwards and striated with<br />
numerous, much-curved veins, dark brown; seed solitary.<br />
Flowers during April and May.<br />
Illustrations. Beddome, Flor. Sylvat. pi. 28. 1868—73; Kirtikar and Basu, Indian Med<br />
PI. pi. 414. 1933; Herb. Peradeniya., drawing.<br />
Distribution. Grows throughout the greater part of India and Ceylon. It is very common<br />
along banks of streams in the low-country and in the dry regions in Ceylon; Jaffna, Dam bulla,<br />
Deltota, Minipe, Hambantota, etc.<br />
India. Silhet: Wallich 3979F. Behar: J. D. Hooker. S. Canara; Beddome 306. Pen. Ind<br />
Or., Herb. Wight 1009, Kew Distribution 1866—7. Ceylon. Without locality, Thwaites CP. 1603.<br />
Composition. The bark contains large amounts of the carbonates of calcium and sodium,<br />
tannins, organic acids, an organic ester and sugars but no active principles of the nature of<br />
alkaloids, glucosides, essential oils, etc.<br />
Uses. A decoction of the bark is used to wash ulcers and is taken internally for bilious<br />
affections and as an antidote to poisons. The juice of the leaves is a remedy for earache. For<br />
fractures and contusions, with excessive ecchymosis, powdered bark is given internally with milk.<br />
In Ceylon, preparations with the bark are administered for diseases of the heart and lungs<br />
and for fractures and contusions.<br />
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