Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. | |
Bignoniaceae | |
Vaanai pudukan / Nagamalli | |
| Botanical Name | Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. |
| Synonyms | Bignonia africana .Lam.; Tecoma africana Lam. |
| Family | Bignoniaceae |
| Common Name | English: Sausage tree / Tamil: Yaanai pudukan / Nagamalli |
| Distribution | Global: Africa, Zimbabwe, India and Tropical Asia Indian: Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh |
| Description | Large deciduous tree growing up to 20 m height, bark grey and smooth, peeling occurs on older trees. Leave pinnately compound, opposite or whorls of three, dark green, margin smooth, petiolate, terminal leaflets may be either absent or present. Inflorescence long pendulous panicles. Flowers large, pentamerous, zygomorphic, complete, bisexual and hypogynous, calyx 5 sepals united green, petals 5, tubular or bell shaped, orange to maroon or purplish green. Stamens 4, dydenomous, two long and two short filaments, epipetalous. Gynoecium bilocular, syncarpous, superior ovary, style long, stigma bifid or bilibid. Fruit woody berry, hand down on the long pendulous peduncle. Fruit pulp fibrous, containing many seeds. |
| Flowering Fruiting period | August - October / December - June |
| Uses | The powdered mature fruit is applied as a dressing in the treatment of wounds, abscesses, and ulcers |
| Medicinal Uses | Plant reported to have anticancer, antiulcer, anti-aging, antioxidant, and anti-malarial properties. |
| Tamil Name | Vaanai pudukan / Nagamalli |