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 കരിഞ്ചേര്.[3]
| Holigarna arnottiana | |
|---|---|
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| Holigarna arnottiana leaves | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Sapindales |
| Family: | Anacardiaceae |
| Genus: | Holigarna |
| Species: | H. arnottiana
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| Binomial name | |
| Holigarna arnottiana Hook.f.
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Description
editA 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
editCanopy trees in wet evergreen to semi-evergreen and moist deciduous forests, up to 1200 m.[5]
Phenology
editFlowering and Fruiting: January-July.[6]
Uses
editIn 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
edit- ^ a b "Holigarna arnottiana Hook.f. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online.
- ^ a b "Holigarna arnottiana - Black Varnish Tree".
- ^ "Holigarna arnottiana – eFlora of India". March 6, 2011.
- ^ "Holigarna arnottiana - ANACARDIACEAE". biotik.org.
- ^ B. R. Ramesh, N. Ayyappan, Pierre Grard, Juliana Prosperi, S. Aravajy, Jean Pierre Pascal, The Biotik Team, French Institute of Pondicherry.
- ^ "India Flora Online". indiaflora-ces.iisc.ac.in.
- ^ 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