Excoecaria agallocha
L., Syst. Nat., ed.10, 2: 1288. 1759 & Sp. Pl., ed. 2, 1451. 1763;
Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 472. 1888; Chakrab. & M.Gangop. in J. Econ. Taxon. Bot. 18: 198. 1994.
Stillingia agallocha (L.) Baill., Etude Euphorb. 518. 1858.
Beng.: Goma, Gengwa, Geneo, Geo-gheria; Hindi: Gangooa, Gangwa, Geogharia, Geon;
Kan.: Harogida, Thilla; Mal.: Komatti; Mar.: Gewa, Phungali, Surund; Or.: Gowan; Tam.:
Kampetti, Tillai; Tel.: Thilla.
Trees, 2 - 10 m tall, evergreen, with poisonous milky juice. Leaves alternate, elliptic or narrowly so to ovate-lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, obtuse or rounded at base, usually narrowly subcordate at extreme base, crenulate-serrulate to entire and biglandular towards base along margins, acuminate at apex, 3 - 13 x 1.5 - 5.5 cm, coriaceous, glabrous; lateral nerves 5 - 10 pairs; petioles 1 - 3 cm long, sulcate above. Male inflorescences axillary, densely spicate, 3 - 12 cm long; bracts pocket-like, 0.8 - 1.2 x 1.5 - 2 mm, entire; Flowers sessile; sepals 2 or 3, linear, ca 1 mm long; stamens 2 or 3, free, 2 - 3 mm long. Female inflorescences axillary, racemose, few- flowered, up to 5 cm long; bracts ca 1.5 x 3 mm. Flowers: pedicels 3 - 5 mm long; sepals 3, ovate- triangular, ca 2 x 1.5 mm, laciniate; ovary 3-lobed, ca 1.5 mm in diam.; styles 3, simple, 2 - 4 mm long, connate at base. Fruits depressed-tricoccous, 3-lobed, 4 - 5 x 8 - 10 mm, smooth, crustaceous, glabrous; pedicels 3 - 5 mm long.
Fl. & Fr. March - Dec. (- Feb.).
Distrib. India: Along seashores, tidal forests and mangrove swamps on sandy loam, mainly in rocky places. West Bengal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, Cambodia, Vietnam, Ryu-Kyu Islands, throughout Malesia to N. Australia and the Pacific Islands.
Uses. Wood is useful for general carpentry, packing cases, toys, legs of bedsteads and floats for fishing nets. It is also useful for making charcoal. The latex boiled in oil used externally for treatment of ulcers, rheumatism, leprosy and paralysis. Decoction of leaves used in epilepsy and ulcers. Balu & Madhavan (J. Econ. Taxon. Bot. 19: 571 - 575. 1995) report almost 100% wound healing property in humans and animals by external application of the latex mixed with white emulsion base and made into a 10% ointment.
Trees, 2 - 10 m tall, evergreen, with poisonous milky juice. Leaves alternate, elliptic or narrowly so to ovate-lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, obtuse or rounded at base, usually narrowly subcordate at extreme base, crenulate-serrulate to entire and biglandular towards base along margins, acuminate at apex, 3 - 13 x 1.5 - 5.5 cm, coriaceous, glabrous; lateral nerves 5 - 10 pairs; petioles 1 - 3 cm long, sulcate above. Male inflorescences axillary, densely spicate, 3 - 12 cm long; bracts pocket-like, 0.8 - 1.2 x 1.5 - 2 mm, entire; Flowers sessile; sepals 2 or 3, linear, ca 1 mm long; stamens 2 or 3, free, 2 - 3 mm long. Female inflorescences axillary, racemose, few- flowered, up to 5 cm long; bracts ca 1.5 x 3 mm. Flowers: pedicels 3 - 5 mm long; sepals 3, ovate- triangular, ca 2 x 1.5 mm, laciniate; ovary 3-lobed, ca 1.5 mm in diam.; styles 3, simple, 2 - 4 mm long, connate at base. Fruits depressed-tricoccous, 3-lobed, 4 - 5 x 8 - 10 mm, smooth, crustaceous, glabrous; pedicels 3 - 5 mm long.
Fl. & Fr. March - Dec. (- Feb.).
Distrib. India: Along seashores, tidal forests and mangrove swamps on sandy loam, mainly in rocky places. West Bengal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, Cambodia, Vietnam, Ryu-Kyu Islands, throughout Malesia to N. Australia and the Pacific Islands.
Uses. Wood is useful for general carpentry, packing cases, toys, legs of bedsteads and floats for fishing nets. It is also useful for making charcoal. The latex boiled in oil used externally for treatment of ulcers, rheumatism, leprosy and paralysis. Decoction of leaves used in epilepsy and ulcers. Balu & Madhavan (J. Econ. Taxon. Bot. 19: 571 - 575. 1995) report almost 100% wound healing property in humans and animals by external application of the latex mixed with white emulsion base and made into a 10% ointment.
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