| Madhuca longifolia | |
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Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Sapotaceae |
| Genus: | Madhuca |
| Species: | M. longifolia |
| Binomial name | |
| Madhuca longifolia | |
Madhuca longifolia is an Indiantropical tree found largely in the central, southern, north Indian plains and forests, Nepal, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. It is commonly known asmadhūka,mahura,madkam,mahuwa,Butter Tree,mahura,mahwa,mohulo,Iluppai,Mee orIppa-chettu.[1] It is a fast-growing tree that grows to approximately 20 meters in height, possesses evergreen or semi-evergreen foliage, and belongs to the familySapotaceae.[2] It is adaptable to arid environments, being a prominent tree in tropical mixed deciduous forests inIndia in the states ofMaharashtra,Odisha,Chhattisgarh,Jharkhand,Uttar Pradesh,Bihar,Andhra Pradesh,Madhya Pradesh,Kerala,Gujarat,West Bengal andTamil Nadu.[3]
It is cultivated in warm and humid regions for its oleaginous seeds (producing between 20 and 200 kg of seeds annually per tree, depending on maturity), flowers and wood. The fat (solid at ambient temperature) is used for the care of the skin, to manufacture soap or detergents, and as a vegetable butter. It can also be used as afuel oil. The seed cakes obtained after extraction of oil constitute very good fertilizer. The flowers are used to produce an alcoholic drink in tropical India. This drink is also known to affect animals.[4] Several parts of the tree, including the bark, are used for their medicinal properties. It is considered holy by many tribal communities because of its usefulness.[citation needed]
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The leaves ofMadhuca indica (=M. longifolia) are fed on by the mothAntheraea paphia, which producestassar silk, a form ofwild silk of commercial importance in India.[5] Leaves, flowers and fruits are also lopped to feed goats and sheep.[6]The seed oil of 'Madhuca indica' can be utilize to synthesize polymer resin. In one of the attempts, it has been used to prepare alkyd type of polyurethane resins, which are used as a good source of anticorrosion organic coatings.[7]
The Tamils have several uses forM. longifolia (iluppai in Tamil). The saying "aalai illaa oorukku iluppaip poo charkkarai" indicates when there is no cane sugar available, the flower ofM. longifolia can be used, as it is very sweet. However, Tamil tradition cautions that excessive use of this flower will result in imbalance of thinking and may even lead tolunacy.[8]
The alkaloids in the press cake ofmahura seeds is reportedly used in killing fishes in aquaculture ponds in some parts of India. The cake serves to fertilise the pond, which can be drained, sun dried, refilled with water and restocked with fish fingerlings.[9][10]
The mahura flower is edible and is a food item for tribals. They use it to make syrup for medicinal purposes.[3]
Mahura flowers are rich in total sugars, out of which reducing sugar are present in high amount. The flowers are also fermented to produce the alcoholic beverage also known asmahura wine.,[11] Tribals in the central belt of Indian such as of Dahanu, Maharashtra, Surguja and Bastar in Chhattisgarh and peoples of Western Orissa, Santhals of Santhal Paraganas (Jharkhand), Koya tribals of North-East Andhra Pradesh andBhil tribals in westernMadhya Pradesh consider the tree and themahura drink as part of their cultural heritage.Mahura is an essential drink for tribal men and women during celebrations.[12]
Mahura fruit are an essential food of Maharashtra, Western Odisha and the people of the central belt of India. The tree has a great cultural significance. There are many varieties of food prepared with its fruits and flowers. Also in Maharashtra, Western Odisha people used to pray to this tree during festivals. The spirit produced from the flowers is largely colourless, opaque and not very strong. It is inexpensive and the production is largely done in home stills.[citation needed]
Mahura flowers are also used to manufacture jam, which is made by tribal co-operatives in the Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra.[13]
In many parts of Bihar, such as villages in the district of Siwan, the flowers ofmahura tree are sun-dried; these sun-dried flowers are ground to flour and used to make various kinds of breads.
Wine prepared fromMadhūka flowers (Madhuca longifolia) finds mention in several Hindu, Jain and Buddhist literature works.[14] It also finds mention in Ayurveda Samhitas which lists it among several different kinds of wine.[15]
Kali who is seated on a red lotus in full bloom, her beautiful face radiant, watching Mahākāla, who, drunk with the delicious wine of the madhūka flower, is dancing before her..
— Mahānirvaņa Tantra[16]
Madhūka orMahura tree is the sacred tree of various temples inSouth India, includingIrumbai Mahaleswarar Temple,Iluppaipattu Neelakandeswarar Temple, Tirukkodimaada Senkundrur atTiruchengode, andThiruvanathapuram.[17] TheTamil saint-philosopherThiruvalluvar is believed to have been born under an iluppai tree within theEkambareshwarar Temple atMylapore, and hencemadhūka remains the sanctum tree of the Valluvar shrine built within the Ekambareshwarar temple complex.[18]
Trifed, a website of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India reports:"mahura oil has emollient properties and is used in skin disease, rheumatism and headache. It is also a laxative and considered useful in habitual constipation, piles and haemorrhoids and as an emetic. Native tribes also used it as an illuminant and hair fixer."[3]
It has also been used asbiodiesel.[21]
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