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Peacock Chaste Tree
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Peacock Chaste Tree
ative Photo: Prashant Awale
Common name: Peacock Chaste Tree, Tail Chaste Tree, Peacock's foot tree • Assamese: আচৈ achai, ঝাৰুৱা jharua • Kannada: ಭರಣಿಗೆ Bharanige, ಮೈರೊಳೆ Myrole, ನವಿಲಡಿ, ನವಿಲಾಡಿ Naviladi, ನವುಲಾದಿ Navulaadi, ನೆರೊಳೆ Nerole, ತೊರೆನೆಕ್ಕಿ Torenekki • Konkani: बवलगी bavalgi, धवी रिवठी dhavi rivti • Malayalam: മൈല maila, മയിലെള്ള് mayilell • Marathi: बलगे balage • Sanskrit: अशूला ashula • Tamil: காட்டு நொச்சி kattu-nocci, மயிலை நொச்சி mayilai-nocci, மயிலாடி mayilati • Telugu: బూసిచెట్టు busi chettu, గండరపు gandarupu, మయూరము mayuramu, మయూరపు mayurapau, మిరపగండర mirapagandra, నెవలిఅడుగు nevaliadugu • Tulu: ಮೈರೊಳೆ myrole Source: Names of Plants in India
Botanical name: Vitex altissima    Family: Verbenaceae (Verbena family)
Peacock Chaste Tree is a large tree growing up to 40 meters in height, with quadrangular and channelled branchlets. Leaves are compound, palmate, 3-5 foliate, winged rachis, leaflets are elliptic or elliptic-oblong, acute at both the ends. Back of the leaves is white-woolly. Flowers are whitish, tinged with blue, borne in hairy panicles at the end of branches. Fruits ovoid drupes, containing hard seed. Peacock Chaste Tree produces berries abundantly during September-December. Within India, it is found in Assam and Meghalaya, and the Deccan Peninsula, up to an altitude of 1200 m in the hills. Flowering: April-May.
Medicinal uses: In Ayurvedic medicine, the plant is believed to pacify vitiated kapha, vata, inflammation, wounds, ulcers, allergy, eczema, pruritus, worm infestations, urinary system diseases, stomatitis, emaciation, and ailments after parturition. Useful part are leaves and roots.
Identification credit: Prashant Awale Photographed in Phansad Wild Life Sanctuary, Maharashtra.
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