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Kaamla Tree
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Kaamla Tree
ative Photo: Dinesh Valke
Common name: Kaamala Tree, Kamala Tree, dyer's rottlera, Monkey face tree, orange kamala, red kamala, scarlet croton • Hindi: कामला kamala, रैनी raini, रोहन rohan, रोहिनी rohini, सिन्धुरी sinduri • Manipuri: উৰৈৰোম লবা Ureirom laba • Marathi: केशरी kesari, शेंदरी shendri • Tamil: கபிலப்பொடி kapila poti, குரங்குமஞ்சணாறி kuranku-mañcanari • Malayalam: ചെങ്കൊല്ലി cenkolli, കുങ്കുമപ്പൂമരം kunkumappuumaram, കുരങ്ങുമഞ്ഞശ് kurangumanjas, നാവട്ട naavatta, നൂറിമരം nuurimaram • Nepali: सिन्दूरे Sindoore, रोहिणी Rohinee • Telugu: కుంకుమ చెట్టు kunkuma-chettu • Kannada: ಕುಂಕುಮದಮರ Kunkumada mara, ಕಪಿಲಾರಂಗು Kapilaarangu, ಹುಲಿಚೆಂಡು Hulichendu, ಚಂದ್ರಹಿಟ್ಟು Chandra hittu, ಊರಬತ್ತಿ Urabatthi, ನ್ಯಾಮತಿ Nyaamati, ಪುರುಷತುಂಗ Purushatunga • Bengali: কমলা kamala • Sanskrit: काम्पिल्यक kampilyaka • Mizo: Thingkhei
Botanical name: Mallotus philippensis    Family: Euphorbiaceae (Castor family)
Kamala Tree (pronounced kaamlaa) is a tree found throughout India. It has been in use as medicinal tree in India for ages. The tree can grow up to 10 m tall. Alternately arranged, ovate or rhombic ovate leaves are rusty-velvety. Male and female flowers occur in different trees. Female flowers are borne in lax spike like racemes at the end of branches or in leaf axils. Male flowers occur three together in the axils of small bracts. Capsule is trigonous-globular, covered with a bright crimson layer of minute, easily detachable reddish powder. Kamala is supposed to be a very useful tree. It is source of Kamala dye which is used in colouring silk and wool. It is used as anti-oxidant for ghee and vegetable oils. Oil is used as hair-fixer and added in ointment. Seed oil is used in paints and varnishes. Seed cake is used as manure.
Medicinal uses: According to Ayurveda, leaves are bitter, cooling and appetizer. Fruit is heating, Purgative, anthelmintic, vulnerary, detergent, maturant, carminative, alexiteric and useful in treatment of bronchitis, abdominal diseases, spleen enlargement etc.
Identification credit: Dinesh Valke, Shrikant Ingalhalikar Photographed in Maharashtra.
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