Oroxylum indicum

{{Short description|Species of tree}} {{Speciesbox | image = Oroxylum indicum 01.jpg | image_caption = Leaves and fruit, at Muzhakkunnu in Kerala, India | display_parents = 2 | genus = Oroxylum | parent_authority = Vent. | species = indicum | authority = (L.) Benth. ex Kurz | synonyms= {{collapsible list| * ''Arthrophyllum ceylanicum'' Miq. * ''Arthrophyllum reticulatum'' Blume ex Miq. * ''Bignonia indica'' L. * ''Bignonia lugubris'' Salisb. * ''Bignonia pentandra'' Lour. * ''Bignonia quadripinnata'' Blanco * ''Bignonia tripinnata'' Noronha * ''Bignonia tuberculata'' Roxb. ex DC. * ''Calosanthes indica'' (L.) Blume * ''Hippoxylon indica'' (L.) Raf. * ''Oroxylum flavum'' Rehder * ''Oroxylum indicum'' Vent. nom. inval.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ipni.org/ipni/idPlantNameSearch.do;jsessionid=DC488BC0FF8BF223E9379C8EDFB111A9?id=60442729-2&back_page=%2Fipni%2FeditAdvPlantNameSearch.do%3Bjsessionid%3DDC488BC0FF8BF223E9379C8EDFB111A9%3Ffind_infragenus%3D%26find_isAPNIRecord%3Dtrue%26find_geoUnit%3D%26find_includePublicationAuthors%3Dtrue%26find_addedSince%3D%26find_family%3D%26find_genus%3Doroxylum%26find_sortByFamily%3Dtrue%26find_isGCIRecord%3Dtrue%26find_infrafamily%3D%26find_rankToReturn%3Dall%26find_publicationTitle%3D%26find_authorAbbrev%3D%26find_infraspecies%3D%26find_includeBasionymAuthors%3Dtrue%26find_modifiedSince%3D%26find_isIKRecord%3Dtrue%26find_species%3Dindicum%26output_format%3Dnormal|title=The International Plant Names Index}}</ref> * ''Spathodea indica'' (L.) Pers. }} | synonyms_ref = <ref name="WFO">{{cite web |url=https://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-0000779181 |title=''Oroxylum indicum'' (L.) Benth. |date=2024 |website=The World Flora Online |publisher= World Flora Consortium |access-date=17 April 2024}}</ref> |}}

'''''Oroxylum indicum''''' is a species of flowering plant, in the monotypic genus '''''Oroxylum''''' in the family Bignoniaceae.<ref name="WFO"/><ref name="FM">{{cite journal |last1=van Steenis |first1=C.G.G.J. |title=Bignoniaceae |date=1974 |url=https://repository.naturalis.nl/pub/532682/ |journal=Flora Malesiana |volume=8 |issue=1 |pages= 114–186 |via=Naturalis Institutional Repository}}</ref>{{rp|128}} It is commonly called '''Indian trumpet tree''',<ref name="ijps"/> '''oroxylum''',<ref name=GRIN>{{GRIN | access-date = 15 December 2017}}</ref> '''Indian trumpet flower''',<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ecoport.org/ep?Plant=8133|title=Ecoport}}</ref> '''broken bones''',<ref name="bones">{{cite web|title=Broken bones tree|url=http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Broken%20Bones%20Tree.html|publisher=Flowers of India|access-date=11 December 2017}}</ref> '''scythe tree''',<ref>[https://sites.google.com/site/efloraofindia/species/a---l/b/bignoniaceae/oroxylum/oroxylum-indicum efloraofindia - Oroxylum indicum]</ref> '''tree of Damocles''',<ref name="ijps">{{cite journal |pmc=3425058 |year=2011 |last2=Singh|first2=V |last3=Chaudhary |first3=A. K |title=A Review on the Taxonomy, Ethnobotany, Chemistry and Pharmacology of ''Oroxylum indicum'' Vent |journal=Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences|volume=73 |issue=5 |pages=483–490|doi=10.4103/0250-474X.98981|last1=Chaudhary|first1=AK|pmid=22923859 |doi-access=free }}</ref> or '''midnight horror'''.<ref>Corner, Wayside trees, loc.cit.</ref> It can reach a height of {{convert|18|m|ft}}. Various segments of the tree are used in traditional medicine.<ref name=ijps/><ref>[https://indiabiodiversity.org/species/show/16688 India Biodiversity Portal – ''Oroxylum indicum'' (L.) Kurz]</ref>

== Taxonomy == Genetic analysis suggests the closest relative of ''Oroxylum'' is the genus ''Millingtonia''; this pair of genera are then probably next most closely related to a clade containing ''Catalpa'' and ''Chilopsis''.<ref name="p246">{{cite journal | last=Olmstead | first=Richard G. | last2=Zjhra | first2=Michelle L. | last3=Lohmann | first3=Lúcia G. | last4=Grose | first4=Susan O. | last5=Eckert | first5=Andrew J. | title=A molecular phylogeny and classification of Bignoniaceae | journal=American Journal of Botany | volume=96 | issue=9 | date=2009 | issn=0002-9122 | doi=10.3732/ajb.0900004 | pages=1731–1743 | url=https://bsapubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.3732/ajb.0900004 | access-date=2025-06-23}}</ref>

== Etymology == Its genus name ''Oroxylum'' comes from Greek words {{lang|el|ὄρος}} ''oros'' 'mountain' and {{lang|el|ξύλον}} ''xylon'' 'wood', and its epithet means "from India".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Swaminathan |first1=M.S. |last2=Kochhar |first2=S.L. |year=2019 |title=Major Flowering Trees of Tropical Gardens |location= Cambridge, UK |publisher=Cambridge University Press |page=287 |isbn=9781108640633}}</ref>

== Description == The tree grows up to {{cvt|27|m}} tall with a trunk diameter of {{cvt|10|-|40|cm}} with grey bark. A mature tree has few branches<ref name="FM"/>{{rp|129}} growing large pinnate leaves, which are the largest of all dicot tree leaves. The blade, or lamina can be as much as {{cvt|2.2|m}} long by {{cvt|2.2|m}} wide.<ref name="WToM"/> Each leaf stalk, or petiole, is up to {{cvt|2|m|ft}} long comprising four pinnate branches,<ref name="WToM">{{cite book | last= Corner |first=E. J. H. |author-link=E. J. H. Corner |date= 1952 | title= Wayside Trees of Malaya | location= Singapore | publisher= Govt. Printing Office | volume= 1 | page= 166 }}</ref> each branch is approximately {{cvt|1|m|ft}} in length and comparably wide,<ref name=bones/><ref name="DE">{{cite news |last=Phillipps |first=Anthea| date=22 April 2012 |url=http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/read.cfm?NewsID=881 |title=The Midnight Horror Tree |newspaper=Daily Express |access-date= 5 September 2012}}</ref> borne on petioles or stalks. All parts of the leaflet stalk grow at once, with dead stalks falling off the tree and collecting near the base of the trunk, looking like a pile of broken limb bones.<ref name="WToM"/><ref name="DE"/>

The flowers grow from long pedicels at the end of 2-4 cm long racemes, their brown or dirty-violet calyxes are leathery. They have a sharp smell and bloom at night to attract pollination by bats.<ref name=bones/><ref name="FM"/>{{rp|129}} They form enormous seed pods; these are up to {{cvt|1.5|m|ft}} long that hang down from bare branches, resembling swords.<ref name=bones/><ref>{{cite book |vauthors=Barwick M, van der Schans A| date= 2004 |title= Tropical and Subtropical Trees – An Encyclopedia | location= Portland | publisher= Timber Press | page= 304 }}</ref> The long fruit curve downward and resemble the wings of a large bird or dangling sickles or swords in the night, giving the name "tree of Damocles".<ref name=ijps/> The seeds are round with papery wings.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=620&taxon_id=200021430|title=''Oroxylum indicum''|publisher=Dinghushan Plant Checklist, Chinese Academy of Science|website=eFloras.org}}</ref>

{{gallery|mode=packed |Oroxylum indicum W2 IMG 3171.jpg|Fruit |Oroxylum indicum250.jpg|Large ''Oroxylum'' pods sold at a market in Bangkok, Thailand }}

==Distribution== ''Oroxylum indicum'' is native to the Indian subcontinent, the Himalayan foothills with a part extending to Bhutan and southern China, Indochina and the Malesia regions.{{citation needed|date=December 2017}} In Vietnam, the tree is called ''núc nác'' (sometimes ''sò đo''), and specimens can be found in Cat Tien National Park.

It is visible in the forest biome of Manas National Park in Assam, India. It is found, raised and planted in large number in the forest areas of the Banswara district in the state of Rajasthan in India. It is reported in the list of rare, endangered and threatened plants of Kerala (South India). It is also found in Sri Lanka<ref name="Theobald">Theobald, W.L. (1981). ''Bignoniace.'' In: Dassanayake, M.D. and Fosberg, F.R. (Eds.). ''A Revised Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon.'' Amerind Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.</ref> and also in Mizoram.

==Ecology== ''Oroxylum indicum'' lives in relationship with the actinomycete ''Pseudonocardia oroxyli'' present in the soil surrounding the roots.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Pseudonocardia oroxyli sp. nov., a novel actinomycete isolated from surface-sterilized Oroxylum indicum root|first1=Qiang|last1=Gu|first2=Hongli|last2=Luo|first3=Wen|last3=Zheng|first4=Zhiheng|last4=Liu|first5=Ying|last5=Huang|date=1 September 2006|journal=Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol.|volume=56|issue=Pt 9|pages=2193–2197|doi=10.1099/ijs.0.64385-0|pmid=16957120|doi-access=free}}</ref> ''Septobasidium bogoriense'' is a fungal species responsible for velvet blight in ''O. indicum''.{{citation needed|date=December 2017}}

==Phytochemistry== Various segments of ''O. indicum'', including leaves, root bark, heartwood, and seeds, contain diverse phytochemicals, such as prunetin, sitosterol, oroxindin, oroxylin-A, biochanin-A, ellagic acid, tetuin, anthraquinone, and emodin.<ref name=ijps/><ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.rsc.org/publishing/journals/JR/article.asp?doi=jr9360000591|title=131. The constitution of oroxylin-A, a yellow colouring matter from the root-bark of ''Oroxylum indicum'', vent|first1=R. C.|last1=Shah|first2=C. R.|last2=Mehta|first3=T. S.|last3=Wheeler|date=1 January 1936|journal=J. Chem. Soc.|pages=591–593|doi=10.1039/JR9360000591|url-access=subscription}}</ref> Several of the compounds are under preliminary research to identify their potential biological properties.<ref name=ijps/>

==Uses== The tree is often grown as an ornamental plant for its strange appearance. Materials used include the wood, tannins and dyestuffs.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=O'Neill |first1=Alexander |display-authors=etal |date=2017-03-29 |title=Integrating ethnobiological knowledge into biodiversity conservation in the Eastern Himalayas |url= |journal=Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine |volume=13 |issue=21 |page=21 |doi=10.1186/s13002-017-0148-9 |pmc=5372287 |pmid=28356115 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

===In marriage rituals=== The plant is used by the Kirat, Sunuwar, Rai, Limbu, Yakha, Tamang in Nepal, the Thai in Thailand and the Lao in Laos.

In the Himalayas, people hang sculptures or garlands made from ''O. indicum'' (Skr. shyonaka) seeds from the roof of their homes in belief they provide protection.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Storrs |first1=A. |last2=Storrs |first2=J. |year=1990 |title=Trees and Shrubs of Nepal and the Himalayas |publisher=Pilgrims Books House |page=200 |isbn=9747315432 }}</ref>

===Culinary Use=== [[File:Pickled Oroxylum indicum flower buds.jpg|thumb|Pickled caper-like flower buds of the scythe tree]] It is a plant with edible leaves, flower buds, pods and stems.<ref name="FM"/>{{rp|130}} The large young pods, known as ''Lin mai'' or ''Lin fa'' in Loei, are eaten especially in Thailand and Laos. They are first grilled over charcoal fire and then the inner tender seeds are usually scraped and eaten along with lap.<ref>[http://www.thaifoodcook.info/headlines/thai-dishes-central-part-and-south/ Thai Dishes, Central Part And South] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330182049/http://www.thaifoodcook.info/headlines/thai-dishes-central-part-and-south/ |date=March 30, 2012 }}</ref> Known as karongkandai among the Bodos of north east India, its flowers and fruit are eaten as a bitter side dish with rice. Its fruit are eaten as a side dish and water of boiled leave and bark as traditional medicine in Mizoram. It is known in Mizoram as Archangkawm. It is often prepared with fermented or dried fish and believed by them to have medicinal uses. The pods also eaten by Chakma people in Chittagong hill tracts of Bangladesh and India. Its called "Hona Gulo 𑄦𑄧𑄚 𑄉𑄪𑄣𑄮" in Chakma language.

The plant is used as food by the Karen people. The flower buds are boiled and pickled. The young pods are cut open raw and the tender seeds inside are used in various local dishes.<ref>{{cite journal | pmc=7345792 | year=2020 | last1=Phumthum | first1=M. | last2=Balslev | first2=H. | title=Anti-Infectious Plants of the Thai Karen: A Meta-Analysis | journal=Antibiotics | volume=9 | issue=6 | page=298 | doi=10.3390/antibiotics9060298 | pmid=32498413 | doi-access=free }}</ref>

===In traditional medicine=== ''Oroxylum indicum'' seeds are used in traditional Indian Ayurvedic and Chinese medicines.<ref name=ijps/> Root bark is one of the ingredients thought to be useful in compound formulations in Ayurveda and other folk remedies.<ref name=ijps/><ref>{{cite journal|pmc=3545239|year=2012|last1=Doshi|first1=K|title=Anti-inflammatory activity of root bark and stem bark of Shyonaka|journal=Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine|volume=3|issue=4|pages=194–197|last2=Ilanchezhian|first2=R|last3=Acharya|first3=R|last4=Patel|first4=B. R.|last5=Ravishankar|first5=B|doi=10.4103/0975-9476.104434|pmid=23326090 |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name="Jayaweera">Jayaweera, D.M.A. (1981). ''Medicinal Plants (Indigenous and Exotic) Used in Ceylon. Part I (Acanthaceae – Burseraceae).'' National Science Council of Sri Lanka, Colombo.</ref>

===In art=== Kelantanese and Javanese peoples forge a type of keris in the shape of the plant's seed pod called the ''keris buah beko''.<ref>{{cite book |author=Che Husna Azhari<!-- xct nm --> |year=2011 |title=Artifak Sains Dan Teknologi Alam Melayu |location=Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia |publisher=Institute of the Malay World & Civilization, National University of Malaysia |pages=24–25 |isbn=9789832457336 }}</ref>

== In mythology == Because the pods are shaped like swords, people in West Java believe planting ''Oroxylum'' trees can protect their homes from thieves.<ref name="FM"/>{{rp|130}}

The Onge name for the tree is ''talaralu''.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Bhargava |first=N. |date=1983 |title=Ethnobotanical Studies of the Tribes of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. I. Onge. |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/4254461 |journal=Economic Botany |volume=37 |issue=1 |pages=112 |doi=10.1007/BF02859311 |jstor=4254461 |s2cid=39096375 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> According to an Onge myth, the first of the Onge people, also named Onge, was created by ''Eyuge'' (monitor lizard) from ''Oroxylum'' wood. Onge made a shelter and planted ''Oroxylum'' trees around it, and created more human beings from the trees. The trees were planted in pairs, giving rise to both Onge men and women. Only Onge people were created in this way; Onge mythology offers no explanation for the existence of non-indigenous people or other indigenous Andamanese peoples.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Venkateswar |first=Sita |title=Development and Ethnocide: Colonial Practices in the Andaman Islands |publisher=IWGIA |year=2004 |isbn=9788791563041 |pages=51–53}}</ref>

== Gallery == <gallery> File:Oroxylum indicum W3 IMG 3170.jpg|Flowers File:Oroxylum indicum W IMG 3169.jpg|Leaves File:Oroxylum indicum.JPG|''Oroxylum indicum'' near Panchkhal, Nepal </gallery>

==See also== *List of Thai ingredients

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

{{Commons category}} {{Taxonbar|from1=Q3245941|from2=Q7103907}}

Category:Bignoniaceae Category:Plants used in traditional Chinese medicine Category:Decorative fruits and seeds Category:Flora of tropical Asia Category:Plants described in 1753 Category:Botanical taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Category:Lamiales of Asia Category:Monotypic Lamiales genera