Aphanamixis polystachya
{{short description|Species of plant in the family Meliaceae}}
{{Speciesbox
|name = Pithraj tree
|image = Aphanamixis polystachya.JPG
|image_caption = Fruits
|status = LC
|status_system = IUCN3.1
|genus = Aphanamixis
|species = polystachya
|authority = (Wall.) R.N. Parker
|synonyms = *Aglaia aphanamixis Pellegr. [Illegitimate]
- Aglaia beddomei (Kosterm.) S.S.Jain & R.C.Gaur
- Aglaia cochinchinensis (Pierre) Pellegr.
- Aglaia janowskyi Harms
- Aglaia polystachya Wall.
- Amoora amboinensis Miq.
- Amoora beddomei Kosterm.
- Amoora grandifolia Walp.
- Aphanamixis agusanensis Elmer [Invalid]
- Aphanamixis amboinensis (Miq.) Harms
- Aphanamixis apoensis Elmer [Invalid]
- Aphanamixis blumei Span. [Invalid]
- Aphanamixis cochinchinensis Pierre
- Aphanamixis coriacea Merr.
- Aphanamixis cumingiana (C.DC.) Harms
- Aphanamixis davaoensis Elmer [Invalid]
- Aphanamixis elmeri (Merr.) Merr.
- Aphanamixis grandiflora Blume
- Aphanamixis grandifolia Blume
- Aphanamixis lauterbachii Harms
- Aphanamixis macrocalyx Harms
- Aphanamixis myrmecophila (Warb.) Harms
- Aphanamixis obliquifolia Elmer [Invalid]
- Aphanamixis perrottetiana A.Juss.
- Aphanamixis pinatubensis Elmer
- Aphanamixis polillensis (C.B.Rob.) Merr.
- Aphanamixis rohituka (Roxb.) Pierre
- Aphanamixis schlechteri Harms
- Aphanamixis sinensis F.C.How & T.C.Chen
- Aphanamixis timorensis A.Juss.
- Aphanamixis tripetala (Blanco) Merr.
- Aphanamixis velutina Elmer [Invalid]
- Canarium vrieseo-teysmannii H.J.Lam
- Chuniodendron spicatum Hu
- Chuniodendron yunnanense Hu
- Dysoxylum spiciflorum Zipp. ex Miq. [Invalid]
- Trichilia tripetala Blanco
|synonyms_ref = {{Cite web | url=http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl/record/kew-2643324 | title=Aphanamixis polystachya (Wall.) R.Parker — the Plant List}}
}}
Aphanamixis polystachya, the pithraj tree, is a species of tree in the family Meliaceae. It is native to India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Sri Lanka.{{cite web| url = http://indiabiodiversity.org/species/show/7585| title = Aphanamixis polystachya (Wall.) R. N. Parker {{!}} Species}} It is a widely used as a medicinal plant in Ayurveda.{{cite web|url=http://www.tknsiddha.com/medicinal-uses-of-Aphanamixis-Polystachya.html |title=Medicinal uses of Aphanamixis polystachya-Pithraj Tree-செம்மரம் sem-ma-ram |accessdate=2015-07-12 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150713031201/http://www.tknsiddha.com/medicinal-uses-of-Aphanamixis-Polystachya.html |archivedate=2015-07-13 }}
Description
The Bengali name of the tree is {{Lang|bn|royna}} ({{Lang|bn|রয়না}}). Another name of this tree is {{Lang|ba|pithraj}} ({{Lang|bn|পিথরাজ}}). Oil is not edible and can be used as biodiesel and lighting. The very fine wood is used for construction and ship-making.{{citation needed|date=December 2014}} The tree is 20m tall. Leaves are compound, imparipinnate, alternate; oblong-lanceolate, apex acuminate; base asymmetric; with entire margin. Flowers are polygamous and show panicles inflorescence. Fruit is a single seeded pale-reddish subglobose capsule.{{Cite web | url=http://www.biotik.org/india/species/a/aphapoly/aphapoly_en.html | title=Aphanamixis polystachya - MELIACEAE}}
Common names
- Assamese—{{Lang|as|hakhori bakhori}}
- Bengali—{{Lang|bn|tiktaraj, pitraj}}({{Lang|bn|রয়না}})
- English—rohituka tree
- Hindi—{{Lang|hi|harin-hara}} ({{Lang|hi|हरिनहर्रा}}), {{Lang|hi|harinkhana}}
- Kannada—{{Lang|kn|mukhyamuttage}}, {{Lang|kn|mullumuttaga}}, {{Lang|kn|mulluhitthalu}}, {{Lang|kn|roheethaka}}
- Khasi—{{Lang|kha|dieng rata}}
- Kuki—{{Lang|mis|sahala}}
- Malayalam—{{Lang|ml|chemmaram}}, {{Lang|ml|sem}}
- Manipuri—{{Lang|mni|হৈৰাঙখোঈ}} {{Lang|mni|heirangkhoi}}
- Marathi—{{Lang|mr|raktharohida}} ({{Lang|mr|रक्तरोहिडा'}})
- Rongmei—{{Lang|nbu|agan}}
- Sanskrit—{{IAST|anavallabha}}, {{IAST|ksharayogya}}, {{IAST|lakshmi}}, {{IAST|lakshmivana}}, {{IAST|lohita}}
- Sinhala—{{Lang|si|higul}} {{Cite web|title=Flora of Sri Lanka,Tree,Plant Species,Forests- SriLankaView|url=http://www.srilankaview.com/floraSL.htm}}{{Cite web|title=Aphanamixis polystachya - Pithraj Tree|url=http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Pithraj%20Tree.html}}
- Tamil—{{Lang|ta|malampuluvan}}, {{Lang|ta|sem}}, {{Lang|ta|semmaram}}
- Telugu—{{Lang|te|chevamanu}}, {{Lang|te|rohitaka}}
Chemistry
The fruit shell contains triterpenes, aphanamixin. The bark contains tetranortriterpene, and aphanamixinin. The leaves contain diterpene, alcohol, aphanamixol and β-sitosterol. The seeds yield a limonoid, rohitukin, polystachin and others, an alkaloid, a glycoside and a saponin. A chromone and three flavonoid glycosides have been reported from the roots.{{Cite web | url=http://www.mpbd.info/plants/aphanamixis-polystachya.php | title=APHANAMIXIS POLYSTACHYA (Wall.) R.N. Parker | access-date=2015-07-12 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304124445/http://www.mpbd.info/plants/aphanamixis-polystachya.php | archive-date=2016-03-04 | url-status=dead }}