Neolamarckia cadamba

Last updated

Neolamarckia cadamba
Neolamarckia cadamba 6226.jpg
Tree in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
Neolamarckia Cadamba Flower.jpg
Close-up of flower
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Rubiaceae
Genus: Neolamarckia
Species:
N. cadamba
Binomial name
Neolamarckia cadamba
Synonyms [1]
  • Nauclea cadambaRoxb.
  • Anthocephalus cadamba(Roxb.) Miq.
  • Anthocephalus indicus var. glabrescensH.L.Li
  • Anthocephalus morindifolius Korth.
  • Nauclea megaphylla S.Moore
  • Neonauclea megaphylla(S.Moore) S.Moore
  • Samama cadamba(Roxb.) Kuntze
  • Sarcocephalus cadamba(Roxb.) Kurz
A full Kadam (Neolamarckia cadamba) with two halved. Kadam (Neolamarckia cadamba).jpg
A full Kadam (Neolamarckia cadamba) with two halved.

Neolamarckia cadamba, with English common names burflower-tree, laran, and Leichhardt pine, [2] and called kadam or cadamba [2] locally, is an evergreen, tropical tree native to South and Southeast Asia. The genus name honours French naturalist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck. It has scented orange flowers in dense globe-shaped clusters. The flowers are used in perfumes. The tree is grown as an ornamental plant and for timber and paper-making. Kadam features in Indian religions and mythologies.

Contents

Description

A fully mature tree can reach up to 45 m (148 ft) in height. [3] It is a large tree with a broad crown and straight cylindrical bole. It is quick growing, with broad spreading branches and grows rapidly in the first 6–8 years. The trunk has a diameter of 100–160 cm, but typically less than that. Leaves are 13–32 cm (5.1–12.6 in) long. [3] Flowering usually begins when the tree is 4–5 years old.

Its flowers are sweetly fragrant, red to orange in colour, occurring in dense, globular heads of approximately 5.5 cm (2.2 in) diameter. The fruit of N. cadamba occur in small, fleshy capsules packed closely together to form a fleshy yellow-orange infructescence containing approximately 8000 seeds. On maturing, the fruit splits apart, releasing the seeds, which are then dispersed by wind or rain. [4] [5]

Ecology

Leaves & flower buds Leaves & flowers I IMG 8695.jpg
Leaves & flower buds
Kadamba tree lower trunk Kadamba (Neolamarckia cadamba) Tree lower trunk.jpg
Kadamba tree lower trunk

N. cadamba is native to the following areas:

It is an introduced species in Puerto Rico at Toro Negro State Forest. [7]

The larvae of Moduza procris , a brush-footed butterfly, and Arthroschista hilaralis , a moth, consume this species. The flowers attract pollinators.

Taxonomy

The botanical name of this species has been the subject of a long taxonomic debate, beginning in the 1930s. The problem arose because scientific names are based on type specimens. In 1785 Jean-Baptiste Lamarck described a specimen under the name Cephalanthus chinensis, stating that it came from Madagascar. In 1830, Achille Richard created the name Anthocephalus indicus, stating that the species came from Asia and that his description was based on the same specimen as Lamarck's Cephalanthus chinensis. [8] (Under the rules of the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants, Richard should have used the name A. chinensis rather than A. indicus, as he should not have changed the specific epithet.)

The issue is whether Richard was indeed using the same specimen as Lamarck; the geographical origin is said to be different, and the descriptions do not match; for example in Lamarck's Cephalanthus chinensis the inflorescences are axillary whereas in Richard's Anthocephalus they are terminal. If specimens were the same, then Anthocephalus is a synonym of the Madagascan Cephalanthus and cannot be a generic name for the Asian kadam tree. If they were different (in spite of Richard's claim that they were the same) then Anthocephalus could be a generic name for the kadam tree. Based on the latter view, the name Anthocephalus chinensis has been widely used for the kadam tree. [8]

The current view taken by most taxonomic sources is that Richard's Anthocephalus indicus or Anthocephalus chinensis is a synonym of Cephalanthus chinensis (now transferred to the genus Breonia as Breonia chinensis(Lam.) Capuron), and that the widespread use of Anthocephalus chinensis for the kadam tree is an error. (This erroneous sense of the scientific name is shown by writing A. chinensis auct., where "auct." is an abbreviation of the Latin for "of authors", i.e. rather than of the correct authority.) [1] [2] [8]

Given that Richard's name for the kadam tree is incorrect, the earliest name is William Roxburgh's 1824 Nauclea cadamba. In 1984, Jean Marie Bosser created the new generic name Neolamarckia, honouring Lamarck, for the Asian genus which matched Richard's description of his Anthocephalus, transferring Nauclea cadamba as Neolamarckia cadamba(Roxb.) Bosser. [8] However, not all botanical sources have accepted this taxonomic analysis and the name Anthocephalus is still in use for the Asian genus. [9]

Uses

The fruit and inflorescences are reportedly edible by humans. The fresh leaves are fed to cattle. N. lamarckia is grown as an ornamental, and for low-grade timber and paper. The timber is used for plywood, light construction, pulp and paper, boxes and crates, dug-out canoes, and furniture components. Kadamba yields a pulp of satisfactory brightness and performance as a hand sheet. The wood can be easily impregnated with synthetic resins to increase its density and compressive strength. The wood has a density of 290–560 kg/cu m at 15% moisture content, a fine to medium texture; straight grain; low luster and has no characteristic odor or taste. It is easy to work, with hand and machine tools, cuts cleanly, gives a very good surface and is easy to nail. The timber air dries rapidly with little or no degrade. Kadamba wood is very easy to preserve using either open tank or pressure-vacuum systems.

Kadamba is one of the most frequently planted trees in the tropics. The tree is grown along avenues, roadsides and villages for shade. Kadamba are suitable for reforestation programs. It sheds large amounts of leaf and non-leaf litter which on decomposition improves some physical and chemical properties of soil under its canopy. This reflects an increase in the level of soil organic carbon, cation-exchange capacity, available plant nutrients and exchangeable bases.

A yellow dye is obtained from the root bark. Kadamba flowers are an important raw material in the production of ‘attar’, which is Indian perfume with sandalwood (Santalum spp.) base in which one of the essences is absorbed through hydro-distillation. An extract of the leaves serves as a mouth gargle. The bulbous fruit (bearing flowers) is edible and is consumed raw in Northern India. It is fragrant, sweet and little tangy in taste and is widely enjoyed as relish.

The leaf extract has recently been used to produce silver nanoparticles for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. [10]

Cultural significance

Kadamba tree at the entrance to the Meenakshi temple, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India Temple de Minakshi02.JPG
Kadamba tree at the entrance to the Meenakshi temple, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India

Symbolism

The kadamba flower was the emblem of Athmallik State, one of the princely states of India during the period of the British Raj. [11]

The kadamba lends its name to the Kadamba Dynasty that ruled from Banavasi in what is now the state of Karnataka from 345 CE to 525 CE, as per Talagunda inscription of c.450 CE. [12] The kadamba tree was considered a holy tree by the Kadamba dynasty. [13]

According to Hindu tradition the 27 nakshatras, constituting 12 Houses (Rasis) and nine planets, are specifically represented precisely by 27 trees —one for each star. The kadamba tree is said to represent Shatabhisha, roughly corresponding to Aquarii. [14]

Religious significance

Indischer Maler um 1770 001.jpg
Radha with Krishna

Kadamba is mentioned in the Bhagavata Purana . In North India, it is associated with Krishna while in the south it is known as "Parvati’s tree". Radha and Krishna are supposed to have conducted their love play in the hospitable and sweet-scented shade of the kadamba tree. [15] In the Sangam period of Tamil Nadu, Murugan of Tirupparankundram Hill of Madurai was referred to as a centre of nature worship. He was in the form of a spear under a kadamba tree. [16]

An episode from the life of Krishna narrates of when he stole the garments of gopis when they were bathing in a pond near Vrindavan. Varuna, the sea-god, had forbidden nude bathing in rivers, ponds and other public places, but gopis often resorted to it. One day, to teach them a lesson, Krishna reached the bank of the pond where they were taking a bath and took away their garments and spread them on the branches of nearby kadamba tree. He himself climbed the tree and hid there behind a branch. After the gopis had bathed, they looked for their garments but found them missing. Suddenly their attention was drawn to the nearby kadamba tree by the stirring of its branches. When they looked up, they saw Krishna hiding there and their garments scattered all over the branches of the tree. Krishna insisted that they come out naked to receive their garments. This episode is portrayed in song, story, painting and artifacts, in the backdrop of the kadamba tree. [17]

Karam-Kadamba is a popular harvest festival, celebrated on the eleventh lunar day of the month Bhadra. A twig of the tree is brought and worshipped in the courtyard of the house. Later in the day, young ears of grain are distributed among friends and relatives. This festive custom has been adopted by the Tulu people. Onam (Kerala) and Huttari (Kodagu) are regional variants of this festival. [18] Kadambotsava ("The festival of Kadamba") is also the festival that is celebrated every year by the Government of Karnataka in honor of the Kadamba kingdom, the first ruling Kingdom of Karnataka, at Banavasi, as it was here that the Kadamba kings organised the spring festival every year. [19]

The kadamba tree is also associated with a tree deity called Kadambariyamman. [20] [21] The kadamba, which is considered the Sthala Vruksham ("tree of the place") of the city that is otherwise known as Kadambavanam (kadamba forest) and is present in Meenakshi Amman Temple. [20] A withered relic of the kadamba is also preserved there. [22]

In Theravada Buddhism, the kadamba tree was where Sumedha Buddha achieved enlightenment. [23]

The Kadamba tree is also an holy tree for the Kardam gotra of Jatav caste

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 = 133819 "Neolamarckia cadamba". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 2013-09-01.{{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  2. 1 2 3 USDA GRIN Taxonomy
  3. 1 2 Krisnawati, Haruni; Kallio, Maarit; Kanninen, Markku (2011). Anthocephalus cadamba Miq.: ecology, silviculture and productivity. ISBN   9786028693387. OCLC   939914708.
  4. http://www.agricultureinformation.com/forums/questions-answers/11926-anthocephalus-kadamba.html.-%5B%5D Horticulture/Suryanarmada, Agriculture Arbitration Consultant, Chennai, India.
  5. - The Environmental Information System(ENVIS), Ministry of Environment and Forests - Centre of Mining environment
  6. Flora of China
  7. Bosques de Puerto Rico: Bosque Estatal de Toro Negro. Archived 2015-08-07 at the Wayback Machine Hojas de Nuestro Ambiente. July 2008. [Publication/Issue: P-030] Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Razafimandimbison, Sylvain G. (2002). "A Systematic Revision of Breonia (Rubiaceae-Naucleeae)". Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden. 89 (1): 1–37. doi:10.2307/3298655. JSTOR   3298655.
  9. Ridsdale, C. (1998). "Rubiaceae". In Dassanayke, M.D. (ed.). A Revised Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon. Rotterdam: A.A. Balkema. pp. 158–159. Cited in Razafimandimbison (2002).
  10. Ankamwar, Balaprasad; Sur, Ujjal Kumar; Das, Pulak (2016). "SERS study of bacteria using biosynthesized silver nanoparticles as the SERS substrate". Anal. Methods. 8 (11): 2335–2340. doi:10.1039/C5AY03014E.
  11. L. E. B. Cobden-Ramsay, Feudatory States of Orissa: Bengal District Gazetteers, p.115
  12. George M. Moraes (1931), The Kadamba Kula, A History of Ancient and Medieval Karnataka, Asian Educational Services, 1990, p.10
  13. "Kamat's Potpourri: The Deccan Plateau: The Kadambas". Kamat.com. Retrieved 2012-11-08.
  14. "Web Page Under Construction". chennaionline.com. Archived from the original on 8 January 2009. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
  15. Kadamba vriksh [ permanent dead link ]
  16. M. D. Subash Chandran Madhav Gadgil (1998). "Sacred Groves and Sacred Trees of Uttara Kannada". Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts. Archived from the original on 24 February 2008.
  17. "Vastra-harana". Exotic India. Archived from the original on 24 May 2018.
  18. Ravindra Mundkur. "60. The Original Rama". tulu-research.blogspot.com. Retrieved 20 December 2007.
  19. KadambotsavaStaff Correspondent (2006-01-20). "Kadambotsava in Banavasi". The Hindu . Chennai, India. Archived from the original on 2007-10-01. Retrieved 2006-11-28.
  20. 1 2 "Nature's unsung heroes", The Hindu, archived from the original on 2011-06-02, retrieved 2011-03-27{{citation}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  21. "Trees". www.khandro.net. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
  22. "Tripura Sundari Ashtakam". IndiaDivine.org. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
  23. si:අට විසි බුදුවරු

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kadamba dynasty</span> 4th-6th century Indian dynasty

The Kadambas were an ancient royal family of Karnataka, India, that ruled northern Karnataka and the Konkan from Banavasi in present-day Uttara Kannada district. The kingdom was founded by Mayurasharma in c. 345, and at later times showed the potential of developing into imperial proportions. An indication of their imperial ambitions is provided by the titles and epithets assumed by its rulers, and the marital relations they kept with other kingdoms and empires, such as the Vakatakas and Guptas of northern India. Mayurasharma defeated the armies of the Pallavas of Kanchi possibly with the help of some native tribes and claimed sovereignty. The Kadamba power reached its peak during the rule of Kakusthavarma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chutu dynasty</span> Indian dynasty (1st century BCE–3rd century CE)

The Chutu dynasty ruled parts of the Deccan region of South India between first and third centuries CE, with its capital at Banavasi in present-day Karnataka state. The Chutus probably rose to power as Satavahanas feudatories, and assumed sovereignty after the decline of the Satavahana power. Except for the edicts of Asoka, the inscriptions of the Chutu dynasty are the oldest documents found in the northern part of Karnataka State, India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Halasi</span> Former capital of Kadambas in Karnataka, India

Halasi is a town in Khanapur Taluk, Belgaum District in Karnataka, India. It is 14 km from Khanapur and about 25 km from Kittur. As known from inscriptions, the ancient name of the town was Palāśikā. A centre of the early Kadamba Dynasty, it was a minor capital of the Goa Kadambas (980-1025). The town is notable for a series of medieval temples. The most famous are the Varāha Narasiṃha temple and Suvarṇeśvara temple in the town, and a third temple of Rāmeśvara. On a hill about 1.9 km. south-west of the town is a pilgrimage place known as Rāmatītha.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Karnataka</span> Region in Karnataka, India

North Karnataka is a geographical region in Deccan plateau from 300 to 730 metres elevation that constitutes the region of the Karnataka state in India and the region consists of 14 districts. It is drained by the Krishna River and its tributaries the Bhima, Ghataprabha, Malaprabha, and Tungabhadra. North Karnataka lies within the Deccan thorn scrub forests ecoregion, which extends north into eastern Maharashtra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mayurasharma</span> Founder of Kadamba dynasty (ruled 345 to 365)

Mayurasharma or Mayuravarma, a native of Talagunda, was the founder of the Kadamba Kingdom of Banavasi, the earliest native kingdom to rule over what is today the modern state of Karnataka, India. Before the rise of the Kadambas, the centres of power ruling the land were outside the Karnataka region; thus the Kadambas' ascent to power as an independent geo-political entity, with Kannada, the language of the soil as a major regional language, is a landmark event in the history of modern Karnataka with Mayurasharma as an important historical figure. The earliest Kannada language inscriptions are attributed to the Kadambas of Banavasi.

<i>Hodgsonia</i> Genus of flowering plants

Hodgsonia is a small genus of fruit-bearing vines in the family Cucurbitaceae.

<i>Mitragyna parvifolia</i> Species of tree

Mitragyna parvifolia is a tree species found in Asia, native to India and Sri Lanka. Mitragyna species are used medicinally and for their fine timber throughout the areas where they grow. M. parvifolia reaches heights of 50 feet with a branch spread over 15 feet. The stem is erect and branching. Flowers are yellow and grow in ball-shaped clusters. Leaves are a dark green in color, smooth, rounded in shape, and opposite in growth pattern.

<i>Nauclea</i> Genus of trees

Nauclea is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. The species are evergreen trees or shrubs that are native to the paleotropics. The terminal vegetative buds are usually strongly flattened. The generic name is derived from the Ancient Greek words naus, meaning "ship" and kleio, meaning "to close". It refers to the resemblance of the cells of the capsule to a ship's hull.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alupa dynasty</span>

The Alupa dynasty was an ancient ruling dynasty of India. The kingdom they ruled was known as Alvakheda Arusasira and its territory spanned the coastal districts of the modern Indian state known as Karnataka. The Alupas in their prime were an independent dynasty, centuries after reigning due to the dominance of Kadambas from Banavasi, they became feudatory to them. Later they became the vassals of the Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Hoysalas with the change in political scenario of Southern India. Their influence over coastal Karnataka lasted for about 1200 years. There is evidence that the Alupas followed the law of matrilineal inheritance (Appekatt/Aliyasantana) since the Alupa king Soyideva was succeeded by his nephew Kulasekhara Bankideva. The legendary king who is credited with introducing matrilineality in Alva Kheda|Tulu Vishaya Kheda is named Bhuta Alupa Pandya The descendants of this dynasty still survive to this date and have spread in the karavali region and they are widely referred to as the Bunt. The Bunts follow Matrilineality instead of the common Patrilineality, and are said to be Nagavanshi Kshatriyas by their maternal origin. They can be identified with their surnames such as Shetty, Rai, Hegde, Alva, Chowta etc. Even though most Bunt are Hindus by faith now, The sizeable section of the community still follows Jainism and they are called Jain Bunt The last Alupa king to have ruled is Kulasekharadeva Alupendradeva whose inscription dated 1444 CE have been found in Mudabidri Jain Basadi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Political history of medieval Karnataka</span> History of Karnataka region of India

The political history of medieval Karnataka spans the 4th to the 16th centuries in Karnataka region of India. Previously foreign empires held sway over the region, and the nucleus of power was outside modern Karnataka. The medieval era can be broadly divided into several periods: The earliest native kingdoms and imperialism; the successful domination of the Gangetic plains in northern India and rivalry with the empires of Tamilakam over the Vengi region; and the domination of the southern Deccan and consolidation against Muslim invasion. The origins of the rise of the Karnataka region as an independent power date back to the fourth-century birth of the Kadamba Dynasty of Banavasi, the earliest of the native rulers to conduct administration in the native language of Kannada in addition to the official Sanskrit. This is the historical starting point in studying the development of the region as an enduring geopolitical entity and of Kannada as an important regional language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melakadambur</span> Village in Tamil Nadu, India

Melakadambur is a village located 31 kilometres (19 mi) from Chidambaram, and can reach at 6 km from Kattumannarkoil, Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu, India. It is known for Arulmigu Amirthakateshwarar Thirukkoil temple, constructed during the reign of Cholas by Kulottunga I. The temple and the village are well known in Ponniyin Selvan history, as they are more than 1,000 years old. The Sivan temple at Melakadambur is a Paadal Petra Sthalam. This Sivalinga is self-manifested or Swayambhu Linga.

<i>Wrightia tinctoria</i> Species of flowering plant

Wrightia tinctoria, Pala indigo plant or dyer's oleander, is a flowering plant species in the genus Wrightia found in India, southeast Asia and Australia. It is found in dry and moist regions in its distribution. Various parts of the plant have been used in traditional medicine, but there is no scientific evidence it is effective or safe for treating any disease.

<i>Nauclea orientalis</i> Species of tree

Nauclea orientalis is a species of tree in the family Rubiaceae, native to Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and Australia. It has many common names, including bur tree, canary wood, Leichhardt pine and yellow cheesewood. It grows to a maximum of around 30 m (98 ft) in height and has large glossy leaves. It bears spherical clusters of fragrant flowers that develop into golf ball-sized edible but bitter fruits. The yellowish to orange soft wood is also used for timber and in woodcarving and folk medicine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naucleeae</span> Tribe of plants

Naucleeae is a tribe of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae and contains about 183 species in 24 genera. Species belonging to Naucleeae occur from Australasia, tropical Asia, Madagascar, tropical Africa, and to the Neotropics and North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atakur inscription</span> 10th-century inscription in Karnataka, India

The Atakur inscription dated 949-950 C.E. is an inscribed memorial stone in classical Kannada composition. It was discovered at the Chelleshvara temple at Atakur village, about 23 km from Mandya, Karnataka, India. The "motion packed" sculptured hero stone describes two events in poetic Kannada; the battle between "Kali" the hound and a wild boar, and the victory of Rashtrakuta Emperor Krishna III over the Chola dynasty of Tanjore in the battle of Takkolam. According to historians I. K. Sarma and Singh, memorial stones for warriors are common in medieval India, but one erected in memory of an animal is considered unique.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of Karnataka</span> Overview of and topical guide to Karnataka

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Karnataka:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bonai State</span>

Bonai State was a princely state during the British Raj in what is today India. It was one of the Chota Nagpur States and had its capital at Bonaigarh, located in the present-day Sundergarh district of Odisha. It had an area of 8,907 square kilometres (3,439 sq mi) and a population of 24,026 in 1892 with an average revenue of Rs.60,000 in 1901.

<i>Neolamarckia</i> Genus of plants

Neolamarckia is a genus with one or two species of trees native to the Old World tropics. It has often been confused with other genera, particularly Nauclea and Neonauclea to such an extent that descriptions of Neolamarckia may state incorrectly that its fruit is a capsule.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sacred groves of Biodiversity Park, Visakhapatnam</span>

The sacred groves is a zone of Biodiversity Park, Visakhapatnam located in the premises of Rani Chandramani Devi Government Hospital. It has more than 100 sacred plant species, which are medicinal herbs with religious importance. Many sacred plants are becoming rare and endangered. Hence they are to be reared, protected, and conserved. The zone was inaugurated on February 5, 2017, by Kambhampati Hari Babu, a member of parliament from Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

Neonauclea sessilifolia is a tree species in the Rubiaceae family. It is found in Taiwan, and then from Yunnan, Zhōngguó/China, to Southeast Asia and northeastern India.

References