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Common names: Indian Tulip, Aden apple, Portia tree
Indian names: • Hindi: Paras pipal • Malayalam/Tamil: Puvarasu • Bengali: Palas pipal •
Botanical name: Thespesia populnea
Thespesia means "divinely decreed" and was given by Daniel Solander who saw it in Tahiti as a member of Captain Cook's ship.
Indian tulip tree is an evergreen bushy tree.
It grows to 40 ft or more with a spread of 10–20 ft.
It has heart-shaped leaves and cup-shaped yellow flowers that are produced intermittently throughout the year in warm climates. Each flower has a maroon eye that ages to purple. The flowers are followed by apple-shaped fruit.
Medicinal uses:
Ground up bark is used to treat skin diseases (India), dysentery and haemorrhoids (Mauritius).
Leaves are applied to inflamed and swollen joints (South India).
When cut, the young fruit secretes a yellow sticky sap used to treat ringworm and other skin diseases (South India).
Roots are used as a tonic.
There is some modern investigation of the plant's effects on high blood pressure.
Location at the lake:
Nearly 60 saplings are planted in a line along the main road
20-Aug-2011
Pic: Vishaka Srinath
May-2011
22-Nov-2010
Pic: Arathi Manay
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