Casearia tomentosa
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Salicaceae |
| Genus: | Casearia |
| Species: | C. tomentosa
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| Binomial name | |
| Casearia tomentosa | |
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Homotypic
Heterotypic
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Casearia tomentosa, commonly known as the toothed leaf chilla, is a species of flowering plant in the family Salicaceae, native to the Indian Subcontinent and Myanmar.[1][2] It is one of 1,000 species that can be found in the Salicaeceae family.[3]
Description
[edit]The chilla is a short trunked tree that can grow to be 8 metres tall, and is considered to be deciduous. The entire plant is very bitter.[citation needed] It has a perennial life cycle.[4]
Leaves
[edit]The leaves are simple and alternate. The shape can vary from lanceolate, ovate, and elliptical. The leaves mostly have an obtuse shape, with some being oblique. Many lateral veins are present on the leaf, surrounding the midrib.[5] The leaves range from a light green colour to a darker vibrant green.[6] The size of the leaves and range from 5 cm to 12 cm long.[citation needed]
Flowers
[edit]The inflorescence of chilla are arranged in a axillary glomerulus.[5] They are bisexual flowers, with both male and female reproductive parts. The flowers are a white with a slight green tint. There are no petals present, however there are 5 sepals that are approximately 3 mm long. There are 8 stamen in a row which are about 2 mm long. The flower has a superior ovary that has 3 carpals present, and a short style.[5] The plant most commonly flowers between February and August.[6] Pollination can occur via insects, self, or cross pollination.[5]
Fruit
[edit]The fruit is an orange/red fleshy capsule with seeds in the middle.[citation needed] Juice from the flesh of the fruit is used to create a fish poison.[citation needed] Seeds can be self dispersed, via wind, birds, animals, or humans.[5]
Taxonomy
[edit]This species was first identified by William Roxburgh, a surgeon and botanist who identified numerous plants native to India. His work was published in Flora Indica, written while he was the head of the Calcutta Royal Botanic Garden.[7] He began collecting plants in Madras, India with Johann Gerhard König. König learned botanical principles from Linnaeus, who was known as the founding father of modern taxonomy.[8] Casearia tomentosa was first published in Flora indica in 1832.[9]
Subspecies
[edit]The following subspecies are accepted[1]
- Casearia tomentosa subsp. reducta – Sri Lanka
- Casearia tomentosa subsp. tomentosa
Distribution and habitat
[edit]Casearia tomentosa can be found globally throughout Asia in India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Malaysia.[citation needed] It can also be found in parts of Northern Australia.[10] It is very commonly found in hilly areas.[citation needed]
Chilla prefers dry habitats and is commonly found in deciduous forests that have a maximum altitude of 900 meters.[11] It is also able to grow along streams, although not common.[10] It is vulnerable and susceptible to infection from a number of pathogens which include incests, powdery mildew, and mold.[11]
Uses
[edit]Casearia tomentosa has various phytochemical and pharmacological properties that are used in traditional medicine preparations said to be helpful for many illnesses. It is most notably sold to people who suffer from seafood poisoning, diabetes, ringworm, and snake bites.[citation needed] Other common names include Bhari, Maun, Churcha, Sonne bethe, and Kakoli based on the region where it is found.[citation needed]
Medicinal properties
[edit]Traditionally the whole plant (root, stem, and leaves) are ground into a fine powder following drying. Combined with other ingredients such as honey, turmeric, buttermilk, water, or lime juice, the powder is sold to people who have pectic ulcers, edemas, fissures and cracks on the feet, colic pain, fever associated with malaria, tonsillitis, sunstroke, diarrhea, wounds, and bone fractures by herbal physicians.[citation needed] Adding the juice of the fruit to water causes the death of fish, as it turns into a toxin.[citation needed] The juice of the bark and root can be given to diabetics as it is hypoglycaemic.[12] Seed oil of Casearia tomentosa is used in the treatment of sprains.[12] The juice of the bark on the stem is also used to cure ringworm.[13]
Phytochemical properties
[edit]The pulp of the fruit is both diuretic and purgative, whereas ethanol extract from the leaves have proven anti-inflammatory properties.[12] Extracts from the leaf and bark of Casearia tomentosa have antimicrobial properties against E. coli and B. subtilis and antifungal properties against F. solani, as well as significant antioxidant properties.[13]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e "Casearia tomentosa Roxb". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
- ^ "Casearia tomentosa - Toothed Leaf Chilla". www.flowersofindia.net. Retrieved 2022-11-30.
- ^ Li, Meng-Meng; Wang, De-Yan; Zhang, Lei; Kang, Ming-Hui; Lu, Zhi-Qiang; Zhu, Ren-Bin; Mao, Xing-Xing; Xi, Zhen-Xiang; Ma, Tao (2019-08-02). "Intergeneric Relationships within the Family Salicaceae s.l. Based on Plastid Phylogenomics". International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 20 (15): 3788. doi:10.3390/ijms20153788. ISSN 1422-0067. PMC 6696080. PMID 31382526.
- ^ "Casearia tomentosa Roxb". Encyclopedia of Life. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
- ^ a b c d e "Casearia tomentosa Roxb. | Species". India Biodiversity Portal. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
- ^ a b "Herbarium JCB". flora-peninsula-indica.ces.iisc.ac.in. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
- ^ "Roxburgh, William (1751-1815) on JSTOR". plants.jstor.org. Retrieved 2022-12-04.
- ^ "His career and legacy". The Linnean Society. Retrieved 2022-12-04.
- ^ Roxburgh, William; Carey, William (1832). Flora indica, or, Descriptions of Indian plants. Vol. 2. Serampore: Printed for W. Thacker.
- ^ a b "Herbarium JCB". flora-peninsula-indica.ces.iisc.ac.in. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
- ^ a b "Casearia tomentosa Roxb. | Species". India Biodiversity Portal. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
- ^ a b c Khare, C.P. (2007), Khare, C.P. (ed.), "Casearia tomentosa Roxb.", Indian Medicinal Plants: An Illustrated Dictionary, New York, NY: Springer, p. 1, doi:10.1007/978-0-387-70638-2_298, ISBN 978-0-387-70638-2, retrieved 2022-11-30
- ^ a b Ajaib, Muhammad; Khalid, Shazia; Mohammad Khan, Khalid; Zahra Siddiqui, Sabahat; Athar Abbasi, Muhammad; Perveen, Shahnaz (August 2015). "Casearia tomentosa: A Potential Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Source". Journal of the Chemical Society of Pakistan. 37 (4): 811–816 – via Research Gate.