Chandigarh Forests

Department of Forest & Wildlife
UT Administration
Chandigarh

THEVETIA PERUVIANA (Pers.) K. Schum.

Division

Angiosperms

Class

Dicotledons

Subclass

Gamopetalae

Series

Hypogynae

Order

Gentianales

Family

Apocynaceae

Genus

Thevetia

Species

peruviana

Etymology:

 

In honour of Andre Thevet (1502-1592), French monk who collected plants from Brazil.

Botanical name:

 

Thevetia peruviana (Pers.) K. Schum. (   T. neriifolia Juss. ex Steud., Cascabela thevetia (L.) Leppold)

Local/Trade Names:

Yellow Oleander, Be-Still Tree, Trumpet Flower, Lucky Nut, Bastard Oleander, Pila Kaner

Conservation status:

Commonly cultivated in India.

Digonestic features:

Leaves linear-lanceolate; flowers yellow.

Description:

An evergreen shrub or a small tree. Leaves linear-lanceolate, 10-15 x 0.7-1 cm. Inflorescence a terminal cyme. Flowers golden-yellow, sometimes white or light ochre, fragrant, 5 cm across. Fruit a drupe, broader than long, 3 cm across. Seeds few, flattened, without coma.

Phenology:

Fls.: Summer and rainy season.

Distribution:

Tropical America.

Where to see it:

Near Energy Park.

Uses:

Tincture of bark is cathartic and emetic; also used as febrifuge. Leaves purgative and emetic. Roots are made into a plaster, applied to tumours. Seeds used as an abortifacient and purgative in rheumatism and dropsy; also used as an elexeteric. They are employed for criminal poisoning of cattle. All parts of plant including latex are poisonous and contain glycosides which are the active principles; of these pervoside is the most important.

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