Holigarna arnottiana is a deciduous tree belonging to family Anacardiaceae[1]. This tree is distributed along South West parts of India[1] and is endemic to Western Ghats, from Central and South Sahyadris[2]. It is commonly known as black varnish tree or Malabar marking nut or ചേര്[3].

Holigarna arnottiana
Holigarna arnottiana leaves
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Anacardiaceae
Genus: Holigarna
Species:
H. arnottiana
Binomial name
Holigarna arnottiana
Hook.f.

Description

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A large tree, with finely fissured bark. White latex turning black upon contact with air. Leaves are simple, alternate, arranged spirally, clustered at twig ends. Flowers are borne in panicles, 12-24 cm long, golden yellow pubescent, in leaf axils or at branch ends. Flowers are polygamous, greenish white. Fruit is obliquely ovoid, 1-seeded[4].

Ecology

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Canopy trees in wet evergreen to semi-evergreen and moist deciduous forests, up to 1200 m [5].

Phenology

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Flowering and Fruiting : January-July[6].

Uses

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In Ayurveda, the plant is believed to be helpful in treatment of inflammation, arthritis, hemorrhoids, obesity, tumor, cancer, and skin diseases[2].It is estimated that bio-Fabricated Silver Nanoparticles from the Leaf Extract of Holigarna arnottiana had antimicrobial, antimitotic, anticancer, and radical-scavenging properties[7].

References

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  1. ^ a b "Holigarna arnottiana Hook.f. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online.
  2. ^ a b "Holigarna arnottiana - Black Varnish Tree".
  3. ^ "Holigarna arnottiana – eFlora of India". March 6, 2011.
  4. ^ "Holigarna arnottiana - ANACARDIACEAE". biotik.org.
  5. ^ B. R. Ramesh, N. Ayyappan, Pierre Grard, Juliana Prosperi, S. Aravajy, Jean Pierre Pascal, The Biotik Team, French Institute of Pondicherry.
  6. ^ "India Flora Online". indiaflora-ces.iisc.ac.in.
  7. ^ Ajaykumar AP, Sabira O, Binitha VS, Varma SR, Mathew A, Jayaraj KN, Janish PA, Zeena KV, Sheena P, Venugopal V, et al. Bio-Fabricated Silver Nanoparticles from the Leaf Extract of the Poisonous Plant, Holigarna arnottiana: Assessment of Antimicrobial, Antimitotic, Anticancer, and Radical-Scavenging Properties. Pharmaceutics. 2023; 15(10):2468. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics15102468