Pajanelia

Pajanelia
Demonstrating significant shoot apical meristem proliferation.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Bignoniaceae
Tribe: Tecomeae
Genus: Pajanelia
Species: P. longifolia
Binomial name
Pajanelia longifolia
(Willd.) K.Schum.
Synonyms[1][2]
  • Bignonia indica Lour.
  • Bignonia longifolia Willd.
  • Bignonia macrostachya Wall.
  • Bignonia multijuga Wall.
  • Bignonia pajanelia Buch.
  • Bignonia tongifolia Willd.
  • Pajanelia multijuga Wall.
  • Pajanelia rheedii Wight.

Pajanelia, sometimes known in English as tender wild jack, in various Malabari languages as pajaneli,[3] in Malayalam as azhantha, in Kannada as alangi and in Tamil as aranthal,[4] is a monotypic genus of evergreen or briefly deciduous flowering tree in the family Bignoniaceae which contains one only species, Pajanelia longifolia. It grows as a small to medium sized tree with an upright habit, with few sideways branches. It can grow up to 30 metres (98.4 feet) tall.[5]

Etymology

The genus epithet Pajanelia stems from the Malabari name for the plant, pajaneli. The species epithet longifolia is of Latin origin and means with long leaves.[3]

Distribution

The species is found in the damp, deciduous mountainous forests of India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.[5] It is found up to 1000m above sea level.[6]

Description

The compound, ovate and chartaceous leaves of Pajanelia are imparipinnate and glabrous with 7-17 leaflets. They may be up to 120 cm (47 in) long, with the apex being acuminate. The rachis is triangular and glabrous. The petiolule is 0.6 cm (0.24 in) long and the midrib is flat or slightly canaliculate. The tertiary nerves are broadly reticulate.[6] Between January and June inflorescent panicles of purple flowers with yellow interiors are produced. They are silken along their margins and smell of soap.[1][7] The brown, compressed and glabrous fruit is of capsule shape, 30–45 cm (12–18 in) long and 5–7.5 cm (2.0–3.0 in) wide. It is winged on both margins. The seeds are housed within two valves, and are flat, chartaceous and winged on both sides.[8] The trunk is occasionally buttressed and up to 115 cm (45 in) in diameter. The heartwood is white-brown coloured, and the pale grey outer bark is scaly and linearly lenticellate.[6][8]

Uses

Pajanelia has uses within traditional south Asian medicine.[5] The leaves, once decocted, can be used to treat some fevers and stomach disorders. Once placed in certain solvents, the leaves have been known to have antimicrobial effects against certain bacteria. Bacteria affected by this include Bacillus subtilis and Vibrio parahaemolyticus,[9] which cause gastrointestinal illnesses in humans.[10] Pajanelia is used in parts of Malaysia, where it is commonly planted as stakes for hedges along rice fields, and is also planted as support tree in pepper plantations.[2] The timber is suitable for woodworking purposes, such as building doors, wall panelling, domestic flooring, veneer and plywood, due to it being very hard and close grained.[11] In conjunction with this, the wood has been used by the native Andamanese, who use the wood for house building, planking and canoe building. It may be resistant to white ant attacks,[7] and is pollinated by various species of bats.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 indiabiodiversity.org, retrieved 16 July 2018
  2. 1 2 Mansfeld's World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops, retrieved 23 September 2018
  3. 1 2 Pajanelia - efloraofindia, retrieved 10 October 2018
  4. ↑ Pajanelia longifolia (Willd.) K.Schum - BIGNONIACEAE, retrieved 16 July 2018
  5. 1 2 3 4 Useful Tropical Plants, retrieved 16 July 2018
  6. 1 2 3 biotik.org, retrieved 10 September 2018
  7. 1 2 Pajanelia longifolia, Flora Malesiana, retrieved 23 September 2018
  8. 1 2 Pajanelia longifolia - Keralaplants.in, retrieved 16 July 2018
  9. ↑ Akhila, Zainab; Rama, Bhat; Sadananda, Acharya; Subramanya, Padyana (2013). "Studies on Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Pajanelia longifolia (Willd.) Schuman". Journal of Research in Obesity. doi:10.5171/2013.756484.
  10. ↑ What is Vibrio parahaemolyticus?, retrieved 25 September 2018
  11. ↑ Lim, S.C.; Gam, K.S. (2006). "Identification and utilization of lesser-known commercial timbers in Peninsular Malaysia 5: Balek Angin, Bayur Bukit, Bebatu and Beka". Timber Technology Bulletin.

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