Lagerstroemia speciosa (L.) Pers. | |
Lythraceae | |
Manimaruthu/Poomaruthu | |
| Botanical Name | Lagerstroemia speciosa (L.) Pers. |
| Synonyms | Adambea glabra. Lam.; Lagerstroemia augusta Wall. |
| Family | Lythraceae |
| Common Name | English : Pride of India, Giant Crape-myrtle / Tamil : Manimaruthu, Poomaruthu |
| Distribution | Global : Tropical southern Asia, Philippines and Australia Indian: Throughout India. |
| Description | Medium sized deciduous tree up to 15m height, bark light grey to creamy white colour. Leaves simple, petiolate, opposite, ovate to elliptic, margin entire, lateral veins prominent, apex acute. Inflorescence raceme an erect panicle. Flowers large in terminal panicle, white or purple, showy, complete, bisexual, hypogynous, calyx tubular, 6(9) lobed, petals 6 inserted in the calyx lobe, clawed, margin wrinkled. Stamens many, arranged in several rows, anthers yellow in colour. Ovary tricarpellary sometimes 6 locular, syncarpous, with many ovules in each locule, style one. Fruit woody capsule, dry dehiscent with persistent calyx. Seed minute with apical wing. |
| Flowering Fruiting period | March - May / July - August |
| Uses | Tree planted as ornamental, soil erosion control and forest restoration.Wood used to make small implements and as fuel. |
| Medicinal Uses | Used for antidiabetic, hypertension, antioxidant and antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and for ulcer. |
| Tamil Name | Manimaruthu/Poomaruthu |
