Miliusa tomentosa
| Miliusa tomentosa | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leaves and flowers of Miliusa tomentosa | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Embryophytes |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Magnoliids |
| Order: | Magnoliales |
| Family: | Annonaceae |
| Genus: | Miliusa |
| Species: | M. tomentosa |
| Binomial name | |
| Miliusa tomentosa | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
Miliusa tomentosa is a large deciduous tree with 15–20 metre height.[3] It is commonly known as wooly miliusa.[4] The native range of this species is Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka on the Indian subcontinent. It is a tree and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropics.[1]
Description
Woolly miliusa is a large deciduous tree, growing up to 20 m tall. Bark is blackish brown. Leaves are thick leathery, ovate, oblong, 4–10 cm long, 2–5.5 cm broad, smooth above, softly hairy below, base rounded, margin entire, tip pointed, leaf-stalk 2–5 mm. Flowers are greenish, 1.5 cm across, solitary or in pairs opposite the leaf. Sepals are about 4 mm long, linear-lanceshaped. Petals are 3+3, about 6 mm long, outer petals sepal-like, inner ones oblong to obovate. Fruits are dark purple, nearly spherical, 8–17 arranged in a ring, 2–3 cm across, stalk 1–1.5 cm long, seeds 3–4. It flowers from May to June.[5]
Taxonomy
It belongs to the family Annonaceae.
Biochemistry
A qualitative preliminary phytochemical analysis of dried leaves of this plant revealed the presence of carbohydrate, protein, cardiac glycoside, glycosides, alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, steroids, anthraquinones, tannins, quinines and inorganic compounds.[6]
Uses
The oil from its seeds is used in Chinese traditional medicine for its antibacterial and analgesic properties.[7]
Insect food plant
Butterflies such as the tawny rajah, tailed jay, common jay, spot swordtail, and narrow banded bluebottle feed on the leaves of this tree.[8]
References
- 1 2 Hills, R.; Verspagen, N.; Erkens, R.H.J. (2023). "Miliusa tomentosa". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2023 e.T179199492A184843448. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2023-1.RLTS.T179199492A184843448.en. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
- ↑ "Miliusa tomentosa (Roxb.) Finet & Gagnep". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
- ↑ "Welcome ephotocorp.com - BlueHost.com". www.ephotocorp.com.
- ↑ https://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Woolly%20Miliusa.html
- ↑ https://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Woolly%20Miliusa.html
- ↑ Khalid, L. P., Pulate, P. V., & Wagay, N. A. (2017). PRELIMINARY PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF MILIUSA TOMENTOSA (ROXB.) J. SINCLAIR BY USING VARIOUS ORGANIC SOLVENTS. European Journal of Biomedical, 4(05), 276–281.
- ↑ Huong, D.T., Van, N.T.H., Kamperdick, C., Anh, N.T.H. and Sung, T.V. (2008). Two New Bis-styrylCompounds from Miliusa balansae" ChemInform, 10: 1002.
- ↑ "Miliusa tomentosa | Butterfly". www.ifoundbutterflies.org.