Bio Diversity Park

Common Name : Kadam

Hindi Name : कदम्ब | Scientific Name : Neolamarckia cadamba
Family : Rubiaceae
Uses : It is one of the economically important trees, which is being exploited for paper, pulp and wood industry. In folk medicine, various parts of N. cadamba are used in the treatment of various ailments such as fever, uterine complaints, blood diseases, skin diseases, tumour, anaemia, eye inflammation and diarrhoea. Other reported uses include antihepatotoxic, antimalarial, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, diuretic and laxative. It has therapeutic potential against many diseases such as diabetes, anaemia, stomatitis, leprosy, cancer and infectious diseases. This tree was closely associated with the life of Lord Krishna (Hindu Deity). The word Kadamba lends its name to the Kadamba Dynasty (345–525 AD), and the tree was revered as a holy tree by them.
Native: Indian subcontinent, China, Malaysia through Indo-China to Australia.
General Description:

It is an evergreen deciduous tree growing to 45 m (147ft) by 30 m (98ft) at a fast rate, bark 6-8 mm, pale brown, vertically shallowly grooved, exfoliating in small rectangular flakes; blaze yellowish-brown; bole straight; branches horizontal. Leaves opposite, decussate; stipules interpetiolar, lanceolate, cauducous; petiole 20-45 mm, stout, glabrous; lamina 10-25 x 6-12 cm, ovate or elliptic-oblong, base truncate or obtuse, apex acuminate, margin entire, glabrous above, pubescent beneath; lateral nerves 10-14 pairs, pinnate, prominent; intercostae scalariform, prominent. Flowers bisexual, yellowish, in globose heads, 2-4.5 cm across; calyx tube 2-3 mm in diameter, tube globose, lobes 5, 5-6 x 3-4 mm, membranous; corolla tube 6-8 mm long, lobes 5, oblong, acute, 3-4 cm long, glabrous; stamens 5, 3 mm long, anthers sagittate, sessile; ovary 3-4 mm long, 2-celled at base, 4-celled above, inferior, ovules many; style exserted to 5-6 mm, entire; stigma clavate. Fruit a capsule on a fleshy globose receptacle, 3.5-5 cm across, orange yellow, capsule membranous; seeds may, angular, minute.